3.  ■2-^. IS'. 


^  tint  ®bw%»a/  & 

^7^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  ^ 

Presented   by   'S'c^mc.S  rOo  W\\V\  CArvn  . 
n-  ■  ■         '^^C^ 

Division ^««- 

Section  • ^       /        « 


A// 


«U 


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•^ 


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VIEW 


OS    THE 


EVIDENCES   OF   CHRISTIANITY. 


"^ ~^     - 


VIEW 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


IN  THREE  PARTS. 


PART  r. 

OF  THE  DIRECT  HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE  OF  CHRISTIANITY,  AXD 
WHEREIN  IT  IS  DISTINGUISHED  FROM  THE  EVIDENCE  AI» 
LEGED  FOR  OTHER  MIRACLES. 


PART  II. 

OF  THE  AUXILIARY  EVIDENCE  OF  CHJUSUANIl  Y. 

PART  III. 

A  BRIEF  CONSIDERATION  OF  SOME  POPULAR  OBJECTION 5*. 


BY  WILLIAM  PALEY,  M.  A. 

AneUDEACOM  UF  CAKLISLE. 


PHILADELPHIAi 
PUBLISHED  BY  JAMKS  WEBSTF.tf. 

1814. 


TO    THE 
HONORABLE  AND  RIGHT  REVEREND 

JAMES  YORK,  d.  d. 

LORD   BISHOP    OF   ELT. 


MY    LORD, 

W  HEN,  five  years  ago, 
aa  important  ftation  in  the  Uni- 
verfity  of  Cambridge,  awaited 
your  Lordfliip's  difpofal,  you  were 
pleafed  to  offer  it  to  me.  The 
circumftances  under  which  this 
offer  was  made,  demand  a  pubhc 
acknowledgement.      I  had  never 

feen 


(  vi  ) 
ieen  your  Lordlliip  :  I  poffefled  no 
connexion  which  could  poffibly 
recommend  me  to  your  favour  :  I 
was  known  to  you,  only  by  my 
endeavours,  m  common  with  many 
others,  to  difcharge  my  duty  as  a 
tutor  in  the  Univerfity ;  and  by 
fome  very  imperfeft,  but  certainly 
well  intended,  and,  as  you  thought, 
ufeful  publications  fmce.  In  an  age 
by  no  means  wanting  in  examples 
of  honorable  patronage,  although 
this  deferve  not  to  be  mentioned, 
in  refpect  of  the  objeft  of  your 
Lordihip's  choice,  it  is  inferior  to 
none,  in  the  purity  and  difintereft- 
cdnefs  of  the  motives  which  fug- 


frefted  it. 


o 


How 


(       vli       ) 

How  the  following  work  may 
be  received,  I  pretend  not  to  fore- 
tell.    My  firft  prayer  concerning 
it  is,  that  it  may  do  good  to  any : 
my  fecond  hope,  that  it  mc^y  affift, 
what  it  hath  always  been  my  ear- 
neft  wifh  to  promote,  the  religious 
part   of  an  academical   education. 
If  in    this   latter  view,    it  might 
feem,    in    any   degree,    to    excufe 
your   Lordfliip's  judgment   of  its 
author,   I  fhall  be  gratified  by  the 
reflecElion,  that,  to  a  kindnefs  flow- 
ing from  public  principles,  I  have 
made  the  beft  public  return  in  my 
power. 

In  the  mean  time,  and  in  every 
event,  I  rejoice  in  the  opportunity 

here 


(  viii  ) 
here  afforded  me,  of  teftifying  the 
fenfe  I  entertain  of  your  Lordfhip's 
conduft,  and  of  a  notice  which  I 
regard  as  the  moft  jBattering  dif- 
tinftion  of  my  Life, 

I  am. 

My  LORD, 
With  femiments  of  gratitude  and  refpc^V, 
Your  Lordfliip's  faithful, 

And  mofl  obliged  fervant, 

W.  PALEY, 


CONTENTS. 


PREPARATORr  CONSIDERATIONS      P.     i 

PART    I. 

The  diredt  Hiftorical  Evidence  of  Chriftlanity,  and 
wherein  it  is  diftinguiftied  from  the  evidence  alleged 
for  other  Miracles  -  -  -  13 

PROP.    I. 

Chap.    I. 

There  is  fatisfa»5lory  evidence,  that  many,  profefling  to 
be  original  witnefles  of  Chriftian  Miracles,  paiTed  their 
lives  in  labours,  dangers  and  fuiferings,  voluntarily 
undergone  in  atteftatlon  of  the  accounts  which  they 
delivered,  and  folely  in  confequence  of  their  belief  of 
the  truth  of  thofe  accounts ;  and  that  they  alfo  fub- 
mitted  from  tlie  fame  motives  to  new  rules  of  condud     i^ 

Chap.  II.     The  fubjetfl  continued  -  -  26 

III.  The  fubjeft  continued  -  -  33 

IV.  The  fubjecT;  continued  "  "  39 
V.     The  fubjeifl  continued             -             .             ^j 

VI.     The  fubjetft  continued  -  -  61 

VII.     The  fubjeift  continued  -  -  66 

VIII.-    The  fabjeft  continued  -  -  82 

IX.     Of  the  authenticity  of  the  Scriptures  96 

Sect. 


"X  CONTENTS. 

Sect.  I     The  Hiftorical  Books  of  the  New  Teuament, 

meaning  thereby  the  four  Gofpels,  and  the  Ads  of 

the  Apoftles  are  quoted  or  alluded  to,  by  a  feries  of 

Chriftian   writers,  beginning   with   thofe  who  were 

contemporary  with  the  Apoftles,  or  who  immediately 

followed  them,  and  proceeding  in  clofe  and  regular 

fucceffion  from  their  time  to  the  prefent  -  105 

Sect.  II.     When  the  fcriptures  are  quoted  or  alluded 

to,  they  are  quoted  with  peculiar  refpedl,  as  books 

ful  generis y  as  poffeffing  an  authority  which  belonged 

to  no  other  books,  and  as  conclufive  in  all  queftions 

and  controverfies  amongft  Chriftians  -  132 

Sect.  III.     The   fcriptures  were   in  very  early  times 

colledted  into  a  diftinft  volume  -  -  i?^ 

SiiCT.  IV.     Our  prefent  facred  writings  were  foon  dif- 

tinguiftied  by  appropriate  names  and  titles  of  refpedl  141 
Sect.  V.     Our  fcriptures  were  publicly  read  and  ex- 
pounded in  the  religious-  affemblies    of   the   early 
Chrifti.ans  -  _  .  .  j^j 

Sect.  VI.  Commentaries  were  anciently  written  upon 
the  fcriptures  ;  harmonies  formed  out  of  them ;  dif- 
ferent copies  carefully  collated  ;  and  verfions  made  of 
them  in  different  languages  -  -  146 

Sect.  VII.  Our  fcriptures  were  received  by  ancient 
Chriftians  of  different  feds  and  perfuafions,  by  many 
heretics  as  well  as  catholics,  and  were  ufually  ap- 
pealed to  by  both  fides  in  the  controverfies  which 
arofe  in  thofe  days  _  -  _  jj2 

Sect.  VIII.  The  four  gofpels,  the  Ads  of  die  Apof- 
tles, thirteen  epiftles  of  St.  Paul,  the  firft  epiftle  of 
John,  and  the  firft  of  Peter,  were  received  without 
doubt  by  thofe  who  doubted  concerning  the  other 
books,  which  are  included  in  our  prefent  canon  160   ' 

Sect.  IX.  Our  hiftorical  fcriptures  were  attacked  by 
the  early  adverfaries  of  Chriftianity,  as  containing 
the  accounts  upon  which  tlie  religion  was  founded       i(55' 

Sect. 


CONTENTS.  xi 

Sect.  X.  Formal  catalogues  of  authentic  fcrlpturcs 
were  publUhed,  in  which  our  prefent  facred  hiftories 
were  included  -  -  -  .  ji^j 

Sect.  XI.  Thefc  propofitions  cannot  be  predicated  of 
any  of  thofe  books,  which  are  commonly  called  apo- 
cryphal books  of  the  New  Teftament  -  ija 

Chap.  XII.     Recapitulation  -  -  _  ijg 

PROP.     XL 

There  is  not  fatisfadlory  evidence,  that  perfons  pre- 
tending to  be  original  witnefles  of  any  other  fimilar 
miracles,  have  pa/Ted  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers 
and  fufferings,  voluntarily  undertaken  and  under- 
gone, in  atteftation  of  the  accounts  which  they  deli- 
vered, and  properly  in  confequence  of  their  belief  of 
the  truth  of  thofe  accounts         -  -  .  i$a 

Chap.  I.  Diftindions  between  the  evidence  for  the  mi- 
racles recorded  In  the  New  Teftament,  and  that  al- 
ledged  for  other  miracles         ...  i^id 

Chap.  II.  Examination  of  the  miracles  mentioned  by 
Mr.  Hume  -  -  -  -  206 

PART    II. 

0/the  Auxiliary  Evidences  of  Chnjllanily. 
Chap.  I.     Prophecy  -  -  .  21c 

II.     Morality  of  the  gofpel  -  .  228 

III.  The  candour   of  the  writers  of  the  New 

Teftament  .  .  .  260 

IV.  Identy  of  Chrift's  character  -  271 
V.     Originality  of  his  chara^er                 -              284 

VI.  Conformity  of  the  fadls  occafionally  men- 
tioned in  the  New  Teftament,  witli  the  ftate  of  things 
in  thofe  times  as  reprefented  by  foreign  and  indepen- 
dent accounts  ....  286 

Chap. 


xii  CONTENTS. 

Chap.  VII.     Undefigned  coincidences             -  ^i^ 

VIII.     Of  the  hiftory  of  the  refurrefllon  322 

IX.     The  propagation  of  Chriftianity  -        327 

Sect.  I.     Refleftions  on  the  preceding  account  348 

II.  Of  the  religion  of  Mahomet                 -  348 

PART    III. 
A  Iriff  con/ideration  of  Jome  Popular  Ohje£lions» 

Chap.  I.     The  difcrepancies  between  the  feveral  gof- 

pels  ....  371 

II.     Erroneous  opinions  imputed  to  the  Apoftles  377 

III.  The    connection   of  Chriftianity  with  the 

Jewifti  hiftory  -  -  382 

IV.  Rejedion  of  Chriftianity  -  -         385 
V.     That  the  Chriftian  miracles  are  not  recited, 

or  appealed  to,  by  early  Chriftian  writers  themfelves, 

fo  fully  or  frequently  as  might  have  been  expeded        401 

Chap.  VI.  Want  of  univerfality  in  the  knowledge 
and  reception  of  Chriftianity,  and  of  greater  clearnefs 
in  the  evidence  -  -•  -  -  411 

Chap.  VII.     The  fuppofed  efFefts  of  Chriftianity  420 

VIII.    The  conclufion  -  -  428 


Preparatory 


Preparatory  Confiderations. 


1  DEEM  it  unneceflary  to  prove  tliat 
mankind  flood  in  need  of  a  revelation,  becaufe  I 
have  met  with  no  ferious  perfon  who  thinks  that 
even- under  the  Chridian  revelation  we  have  too 
much  hght,  or  any  affurance  which  is  fuperfluous. 
I  defire  moreover,  that  in  judging  of  Chridianity 
it  may  be  remembered,  that  the  queflion  Hcs  be- 
tween this  reHgion  and  none  :  for  if  the  ChriRiau 
rehgion  be  not  credible,  no  one,  with  whom  we 
have  to  do,  will  fupport  the  pTctenfion  of  any 
other, 

Suppofe  then  the  world  we  live  in  to  have  haJ 
a  Creator  :  fuppofe  it  to  appear  from  the  predo- 
minant aim  and  tendency  of  the  provifions  and 
contrivances  obfervable  in  the  univerfe,  that  the 
Dciiy,  when  he  farmed  it,  confulted  for  the  hap- 


2         PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS. 

pinefs  of  his  fenlitive  creation  ;  fuppofe  'he  difpo- 
fition  which  diclated  this  council  to  continue ; 
fuppofe  a  part  of  the  creation  to  have  received 
faculties  from  their  Maker,  by  which  they  arc 
capable  of  rendering  a  moral  obedience  to  his 
will,  and  of  voluntarily  purfuing  any  end  for  which 
he  has  defigned  them  ;  fuppofe  the  Creator  to 
intend  for  thefe  his  rational  and  accountable  agents 
a  fecond  ftate  of  exiflence,  in  which  their  fituarion 
will  be  regulated  by  their  behaviour  in  the  firft 
flare,  by  which  fuppofition  (and  by  no  other)  the 
objeftion  to  the  Divine  government  in  not  putting 
a  difference  between  the  good  and  the  bad,  and 
the  inconfiHency  of  this  confufion  with  the  care 
and  benevolence  difcoverable  in  the  works  of  the 
Deity  is  done  away  ;  fuppofe  it  to  be  of  the  utmofl 
importance  lo  the  fubjefts  of  this  difpenfation  to 
know  what  h  intended  for  tliem,  that  is,  fuppofe 
the  knowledge  of  it  to  be  highly  conducive  to  the 
hnppinefs  of  the  fpccies,  a  purpofe  which  fo  many 
provifions  of  nature  are  calculated  to  proinote : 
Suppofe,  neverthelefs,  almoft  the  whole  race, 
cither  by  the  imperfection  of  their  faculties,  the 
misfortune  of  their  fituation,  or  by  the  lofs  of 
fome  prior  revelation,  to  want  this  knowledge, 
and  not  to  be  likely  without  the  aid  of  a  new  re- 
velation to  attain  it ;  under  thefe  circumflances  is 
it  improbable  that  a  revelation  flioiild  be  made  ? 
Is  it  incredible  that  God  Jliould  interpofe  for  fuch 

a  pur- 


PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS.         3 

a  purpofe  ?  Suppcfc  him  to  dcfign  for  mankind  a 
future  (late,  is  it  unlikely  that  he  flioulJ  acquaint 
ihcm  with  it  ? 

Now  in  what  way  can  a  revelation  be  made  but 
by  miracles  ?  In  none  which  we  arc  able  to  con- 
ceive. Confeqiiently  in  whatever  degree  it  is 
probable  or  not  very  improbable  that  a  revelation 
Ihould  be  communicated  to  mankind  at  all,  in  the 
fame  degree  is  it  probable  or  not  very  improbable 
that  miracles  fliould  be  wrought.  Therefore  when 
miracles  are  related  to  have  been  wrought  in  the 
promulgating  of  a  revelation  manifeftly  wanted, 
and,  if  true,  of  ineflimable  value,  the  improba- 
bility which  arifes  from  the  miraculous  nature  ot 
the  things  related,  is  not  greater  than  the  original 
improbability  that  fuch  a  revelation  Ihould  be 
imparted  by  God. 

I  wi(h  it  however  to  be  corre£lly  undtrilood, 
in  what  manner,  and  to  what  extent,  this  argu- 
ment is  alleged.  We  do  not  alTume  the  attri- 
butes of  the  Deity,  or  the  exiflence  of  a  futurti 
ftate,  in  order  to  prove  the  realhy  of  miracles. 
That  reality  always  muft  be  proved  by  evidence. 
We  aflert  only  that  in  miracles  adduced  in  fupport 
of  revelation,  there  is  not  any  fuch  antecedent 
improbability  as  no  tcftimony  can  furmount.  And, 
B  2  for 


4         PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS. 

for  the  purpofc  of  maintaining  this  affertion,  wc 
contend,  that  the  incredibility  of  miracles  related 
to  have  been  wrought  in  atteftation  of  a  melTage 
irom  God,  conveying  intelligence  of  a  future  (late 
of  rewards  and  punifliments,  and  teaching  man- 
kind how  to  prepare  themfelves  for  that  ftate,  is 
not  in  itfelf  srcater  than  the  event,  call  it  either 
probable  or  improbable,  of  the  two  following 
propofr  ions  being  true,  namely,  firft,  that  a  future 
(late  of  exiflence  ftiould  be  deftined  by  God  for 
his  human  creation,  and  feccndly,  that  being  fo 
deilined,  he  (hould  acquaint  them  with  it.  It  is 
not  neceflary  for  our  purpofe  that  thefe  propofi- 
tions  be  capable  of  proof,  or  even  that  by  argu- 
ments drawn  from  the  light  of  nature,  they  can 
be  made  out  to  be  probable.  It  is  enough  that 
we  arc  able  to  fay  concerning  them,  that  they  are 
not  fo  violently  improbable,  fo  contradiftory  to 
wliat  -^e  already  believe  of  the  Divine  power  and 
character,  that  either  the  proportions  themfelves, 
or  fa6ts  ftriftly  connected  with  the  propofitions 
(and  therefore  no  farther  Improbable  than  they 
are  improbable)  ought  to  be  rejefled  at  firft  fight, 
and  to  be  rejefted  by  whatever  ftrength  or  com- 
plication of  evidence  they  be  attefted. 

This  is  the  prejudication  we  would  refift.     For 
to  this  length  does  a  modern  objection  to  miracles 

go, 


PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS.         :; 

go,  viz.  that  no  human  teftimony  can  in  any  caf- 
render  them  credible.  I  think  the  reflection  above 
dated,  that,  if  there  be  a  revelation,  there  rouft;  be. 
miracles  ;  and  that,  under  the  circumftances  ia 
which  the  human  fpecies  arc  placed,  a  revelation 
is  not  improbable,  or  not  improbable  in  any 
great  degree,  to  be  a  fair  anfwer  to  the  whole 
objection. 

But  fmce  it  is  an  obje^Stion  which  {lands  in  the 
very  threfliold  of  our  argument,  and,  if  admitted, 
is  a  bar  to  every  proof,  and  to  all  future  reafoning 
upon  the  fubjf^^l,  it  may  be  neccffary,  before  we 
proceed  farther,  to  examine  the  principle  upon 
which  it  profefTes  to  be  founded  :  which  principle 
is  concifely  this,  that  it  is  contrary  to  experience 
that  a  miracle  fhould  be  true,  but  not  contrary  to 
experience  that  teftimony  fliould  be  falfe. 

Now  there  appears  a  finall  ambiguity  in  the 
term  "  experience,'*  and  in  the  phrafes  "  contraw 
to  experience,"  or  "  contradiding  experience," 
which  it  may  be  neceflary  to  remove  in  the  fuft 
place.  Stri»51:iy  fpeaking  the  narrative  of  a  fac>  is 
iben  only  contrary  to  experience,  when  the  fa6l  h 
related  to  have  exifled  at  a  lime  and  a  place,  at 
which  time  and  phice  we  being  prefent,  did  rot 
perceive  ii  to  exiil ;  ;^3  if  it  fliruld  be  averted,  that 
V,    ^  \n 


6        PREPARATORY  CONSIDER ATIOi^S. 

m  a  parti ailar  room,  and  at  a  particular  hour  of 
a  certain  day,  a  man  was  raifed  from  the  dead,  in 
■which  room,  and  at  the  time  fpecified,  we  being 
prefent  and  looking  on,  perceived  no  fuch  event 
to  have  taken  place.  Here  the  alTcrtion  is  con- 
trary to  experience  properly  fo  called  ;  and  this  is 
a  contrariety  which  no  evidence  can  furmount. 
It  matters  nothing,  whether  the  fa£i:  be  of  a  mira- 
culous nature  or  not.  But  although  this  be  the 
experience,  and  the  contrariety,  which  Archbp. 
Tillotfon  alleged  in  the  quotation  with  which 
Mr.  Hume  opens  his  effay,  it  is  certainly  not  that 
experience,  nor  that  contrariety,  which  Mr.  Hume 
himfelf  intended  to  obje6^.  And,  fhort  of  this,  I 
know  no  intelligible  fignification  which  can  be 
affixed  to  the  term  "  contrary  to  experience,"  but 
one,  viz.  that  of  not  having  ourfelves  experienced 
any  thing  limilar  to  the  thing  related,  or  fuch 
things  not  being  generally  experienced  by  others. 
1  fay  not  "  generally,"  for  to  (late  concerning  the 
fd^  in  queflion,  that  no  fuch  thing  was  ever  ex- 
perienced, or  that  univerfal  experience  is  againfl 
it,  is  to  affume  the  fubjeft  of  the  controverfy. 

Now  the  itnprobability  which  arifes  from  the 
want  (for  this  property  is  a  want,  not  a  contradic- 
tion), of  experience,  is  only  equal  to  the  proba- 
bility there  is,  that  if  the  thing  were  true,  wc 

fliould 


PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS.         7 

fliould  experience  things  fin:iilar  to  ir,  or  that  fucli 
things  would  be  generally  experienced.  Suppofe  it 
then  to  be  true  that  miracles  were  wrought  upon 
the  firft  promulgation  of  Chriftianity,  when  no- 
thing but  miracles  could  decide  its  authority,  is  ic 
certain  tl;at  fuch  miracles  would  be  repeated  (o 
often,  and  in  (o  many  places,  as  to  become  objects 
of  general  experience  ?  Is  it  a  probability  ap- 
proaching to  certainty  ?  Is  it  a  probability  of  any 
irreat  (trensfth  or  force  ?  Is  it  fuch  as  no  evidence 

o  o 

can  encounter  ?  and  yet  this  probability  is  the 
exaft  converfe,  and  therefore  the  exaft  meafur? 
of  the  improbability  which  arif;:fs  from  the  want  of 
experience,  and  which  Mr.  Plums  reprefents  as 
invincible  by  human  te^:imon5^ 

It  is  not  like  alleging  a  new  law  of  nature,  or 
a  new  experiment  in  natural  philofophy,  becaufe, 
when  thefe  are  related,  it  is  expe6led  that,  under 
the  fame  circumftances,  the  fame  effe£>  will  follow 
univerfaily ;  and  in  proportion  as  this  expe£tation 
is  juftly  entertained,  the  want  of  a  correfponding 
experience  negatives  the  hiftory.  But  to  expefl 
concerning  a  miracle  that  it  fliould  fucceed  upon 
repetition,  is  to  expeft  that  which  could  make  it 
ceafe  to  be  a  miracle,  which  is  contrary  to  its  na- 
ture as  fuch,  and  would  totally  deflroy  the  ufe  and 
purpofe  for  which  it  was  wrought. 

B  4  The 


B        PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATION'S. 

The  force  of  experience  as  an  obje£lIon  to  mi- 
racles is  founded  in  the  prefumption,  either  that 
the  courfe  of  nature  is  invariable,  or  that,  if  it 
be  ever  varied,  variations  will  be  frequent  and 
general.  Has  the  necelTity  of  this  alternative  been 
deraonilrated  ?  Permit  us  to  call  the  courfe  of  na- 
ture the  agency  of  an  intelligent  being,  and  is 
there  any  good  reafon  forjudging  this  (late  of  the 
cafe  to  be  probable  ?  Ought  we  not  rather  to  ex- 
pe£}:,  that  fuch  a  Being,  upon  occaiions  of  peculiar 
importance,  may  interrupt  the  order  which  he  had 
appointed,  yet,  that  fuch  occafions  fhould  return 
feldom :  that  thefe  interruptions  confcquently 
fliould  be  confined  to  the  experience  of  a  fev/ ; 
that  the  want  of  it,  therefore,  in  many,  (liould  be 
matter  neither  of  farprife  nor  objection  ? 

But  as  a  continuation  of  the  argument  from 
experience  it  is  faid,  that,  when  we  advance  ac- 
counts of  miracles,  we  affign  cfFefts  without  caufes^ 
or  we  attribute  effefts  to  caufes  inadequate  to  the 
purpofe,  or  to  caufes  of  the  operation  of  which 
we  have  no  experience.  Of  what  caufes,  we  may 
afli,  and  of  what  effects  does  the  objection  fpeak  ? 
If  it  be  anfwered  that,  when  we  afcribe  the  cure 
cf  the  palfy  to  a  touch,  of  blindnefs  to  the  anoinr- 
ing  of  the  eyes  with  clay,  or  the  raifmg  of  the 
(lead  to  a  word,  we  lay  ourfelves  open  to  this  im- 
putation, 


PRErARATOP.Y  CONSIDERATIONS.         5) 

putation,  we  reply  that  we  afcrlbe  no  fuch  elTecls 
to  fuch  caufes.  We  perceive  uo  virtus  or  energ)^ 
in  thefe  things  mere  than  in  other  things  of  the 
fame  kind.  They  are  merely  ilgns  to  conne£l  the 
miracle  with  its  end.  1  he  cfFcil  we  afcribe  fim- 
ply  to  the  volition  of  the  Deity  ;  of  whofe  exig- 
ence and  power,  not  to  fay  of  whofe  prefence  and 
agency,  we  have  previous  and  independent  proof. 
We  have  therefore  all  we  feek  for  in  the  works 
of  rational  agents,  a  fufficient  power  and  an  ade- 
quate motive.  In  a  word,  once  believe  that  there 
js  a  God,  and  miracles  are  not  incredible. 

Mr.  Kume  ftaics  the  cafe  of  miracles  to  be  a 
contcft  of  oppofue  improbabilities,  that  is  to  fiy, 
a  queftion  whether  it  be  more  improbable  that 
the  miracle  (hould  be  true,  or  the  tcftimony  falfe  ; 
and  this  I  think  a  fair  account  of  the  controverfy. 
But  herein  I  remark  a  want  of  argumentative 
juftice,  that,  in  defcribing  the  improbability  of 
miracles,  he  fuppreifes  all  thofc  circumftances  of 
extenuation  which  refult  from  our  knowledge  of 
the  exiilcnce,  power,  and  difpofition  of  the  Deity, 
his  concern  in  the  creation,  the  end  anfwered  by 
the  miracle,  the  importance  of  that  end,  and  itj 
fubferviency  to  the  plan  purfued  in  the  works  of 
nature.  As  Mr.  Hume  has  reprefentcd  the  qucf- 
tion,  miracles  are  alike  incredible  to  him  who  is 
proviouuy   alTurcd  of  the   condant  agency  of  a 

Divine 


10      PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS. 

pivine  Being,  aiid  to  him  who  believes  that  ne 
fuch   being   exids   in    the  univerfe.      They  are 
equally  incredible,  whether  related  to  have  been 
wrought  upon  occafions  the  mofl:  deferving,  and 
for  purpofes  the  mofl:  beneficial,   or  for  no  afTign- 
able  end  whatever,  or   for   an    end   confefTedly 
trifling  or  pernicious.     This  furely  cannot  be  a 
corred   ftatement.     In   adjufling   alfo   the  other 
fide  of  the  balance,   the  ftrength  and  weight  of 
teftimony,  this  author  has  provided  an  anfwer  t& 
every  poiTible  accumulation  of  hiftorical  proof  by 
telling  us,  that  we  are  not  obliged  to  explain  how 
the  flory  or  the  evidence  arofe.     Now  I  think 
we  are  obliged  ;   not,   perhaps,  to  fliow  by  poli- 
tive  accounts  how  it  did,  but  by  a  probable  hy- 
pothefls  how  it  might,  fo  happen.     The  exiflence 
c^  the  teftimony  is  a  phenomenon.     The  truth 
of  the  fac^-folves  the  phenomenon.     If  we  reje^ 
this  folution  we  ought  to  have  fome  other  to  reft 
in  :  and  none  even  by  our  adverfaries  can  be  ad- 
mitted, which  is  not  confident  with  the  princi- 
ples that  regulate  human  affairs  and  human  con- 
duit at  prefent,  or  which  makes  men  then  to  have 
been  a  different  kind  of  beings  from  what  they 
are  now. 

But  the  fiiort  confideration  which,  independ- 
ently of  every  ether,  convinces  me  that  there  is 
no  folid  foundation  in  Mr.  Hume's  conckificn  i$ 

the 


PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS.       ii 

the  .    .lowing.     When  a  theorem  is  propofcd  to 
a  mathematician,  the  firft  thing  he  does  with  it  is 
to  try  it  upon  a  fimple  cafe  ;•  and,  if  it  produce 
a  falfe  refalt,  he  is  fure  that  there  mufl  be  fome 
miftake  in  the  demonftratlon.     Now  to  proceed 
in  this  way  with  what  may  be  called  Mr.  Hiimc*s 
theorem.      If  twelve  men,   whofe   probiry  and 
good  fenfc  I  had  long  known,  fhould  fcrioufly 
and  circumftantially  relate  to  me  an  account  of  a 
miracle  wrought  before  their  eyes,  and  in  which 
it  was  impoflible  that  they  fliould  be  deceived ; 
if  the  governor  of  the  country,  hearing  a  rumour 
of  this  account,  (liould  call  thefe  men  into  his 
prefcnce,  and  offer  them  a  fhort  propofal,  either 
to  confefs  the  impofture,   or  fubmit  to  be  tied  up 
to  a  gibbet ;   if  they  (liould  refufe  with  one  voice 
to  acknowledge  that  there  exifted  any  falfehood 
or  impoflure  in  the  cafe  ;  if  this  threat  were  com- 
municated to  them  feparately,  yet  with  no  dif- 
ferent effec"! ;  if  it  was  at  laft  executed  ;  if  I  my- 
fdf  faw  them,  one  after  another,  confenting  to 
be  racked,  burnt,  or  flrangled,  rather  than  give 
up  the  truth  of  their  account :  ftill,  if  Mr.  Hume's 
rule  be  my  guide,  I  am  not  to  believe  them.  Now 
I  undertake  to  fay  that  there  exifls  not  a  fceptic 
in  the  world  who  would  not  believe  them  j  or 
who  would  defend  fach  incredulity. 

Indances 


12      PREPARATORY  CONSIDERATIONS. 

Inftances  of  fpurious  miracles  fupported  by 
ftrong  apparent  teftimony  undoubtedly  demand 
examination,  Mr.  Hume  has  endeavoured  to 
fortify  his  argument  by  fome  examples  of  this 
kind.  I  hope  in  a  proper  place  to  fliow  that 
none  of  them  reach  the  ftrength  or  circumdances 
of  the  chriftian  evidence.  In  thefe  however  con- 
lifts  the  weight  of  his  objection.  In  the  prin- 
ciple itfelf  I  am  perfuaded  there  is  none. 


VART 


PART    I. 


OF  THE  DIRECT  HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE  OF  CHRIS- 
TIANITY, AND  WHEREIN  IT  IS  DISTINGUISHED 
FROM  THE  EVIDENCE  ALLEGED  FOR  OTHER  MI. 
RAGLES. 


X  HE    two   propofitions   which    I    Ihiill 
endeavour  to  elhiblifli  are  thefe  : 

I.  That  there  is  fatisfii(ftory  evidence  t-hat  many, 
profefling  to  be  original  witnefTcs  of  the  Chriftiau 
miracles,  pafled  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers  and 
fuilerings,  voluntarily  undergone  in  aiteftation  of 
the  accounts  which  they  delivered,  and  folely  in 
confequence  of  their  belief  of  thofe  accounts  •,  and 
that  they  alfo  fubmitted  from  the  fame  motive  to 
new  rules  of  conduft. 

II.  That  there  is  not  fatisfn^tory  evidence  that 
perfons  profcfRng  to  be  original  witnelTcs  of  other 
miracles,  in  their  nature  as  certain  as  thefe  are, 
have  ever  a(5ted  in  the  fame  manner,  in  atteftation 
of  the  accounts  which  they  delivered,  and  properly 
in  confequence  of  their  belief  of  rhofe  accounts. 

The  firfl  of  thefe  propofitions,  as  it  forms  the 
argument,  will  fland  at  the  head  of  the  following 
nine  chapters. 


CHAPTF.K 


14  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


CHAPTER    I. 

There  Is  fathfad:ory  evidence  that  many^  P^rf^JJ'i-f^S  '^ 
be  original  witneffes  of  the  Chrijlian  Miracles^ 
pajfed  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers  and  fufferings ^ 
vfiluntarily  undergone  in  attejiation  of  the  accounts 
which  they  delivered^  and  folely  in  confequence  of 
their  belief  of  thofe  accounts;  and  that  they  alfo 
fubmitted  from  the  fame  motives  to  new  rules  of 
condiid. 


JL  O  fupport  this  propofitlon  two  points 
are  neccffary  to  be  made  out ;  firft,  that  the  founder 
of  the  inftitution,  his  afTociates  and  immediate  fol- 
lowers, a(^ed  the  part  which  the  propofition  im- 
putes to  them :  fecondly,  that  they  did  fo,  in  attefta- 
tion  of  the  miraculous  hiitory  recorded  in  our  fcrip- 
tures,  and  folely  in  confequence  of  their  belief  of 
the  truth  of  this  hiftory. 

Before  we  produce  any  particular  tcdiraony  to 
the  a6livity  and  fufierings  which  compofe  the  fubje<ft 
of  our  iirfl:  affertion,  it  will  be  proper  to  confider 
the  degree  of  probability  which  the  aiTcrtion  de- 
rives from  the  nature  of  the  cafe,  that  is,  by  infer- 
ences from  thofe  parts  of  the  cafe  which,  in  point 
of  fa^l,  are  on  all  hands  acknowledged. 

Firfl:  then,  the  Chriftian  religion  exlfls,  and  there- 
fore by  forae  means  or  other  was  eflabliflied.  Now 
it  either  owes  the  principle  of  its  edablilhrnent,  /.  e* 
itsfirfl:  publication,  to  the  aftivity  of  the  perfon  who 
was  the  founder  of  the  inftitution,  and  of  thofe  who 
were  joined  with  him  in  the  undertaking,  or  we  are 
driven  upon  the  Itrange  fuppofition,  that,  although 
they  might  lie  by,  others  would  take  it  upj  although 

they 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRIS  11 ANIT^.  15 

they  were  quiet  and  filent,  other  perfons  bufitd 
themfelves  in  the  fuccefs  and  propagarion  of  their 
ftory.  This  is  perfeclly  incredible.  'Jo  me  it  ap- 
pears litile  lefs  than  certain,  that,  if  the  tird  announ- 
cing of  the  religion  by  the  founder  had  not  bc::n 
followed  up  by  the  zeal  and  induftry  of  his  imme- 
diate difciples,  the  fchemc  muft  have  expired  in  its 
birth.  Then  as  to  the  kind  and  degree  of  exertion 
which  was  employed,  and  the  mode  of  lite  to  which 
thefe  perfons  fubmitied,  we  reafonably  fuppofe  it  to 
be  like  that,  which  we  obferve  in  all  orhers  who 
voluntarily  become  miUlonarie^  of  a  new  faiih. 
Frequent,  earned:  and  laborious  preaching,  con- 
llantly  converfmg  with  religious  perfons  upon  reli- 
gion, a  fcqueflration  from  the  conimon  pleafu"es» 
engagements  and  varieties  of  lite,  and  an  addi<fliou 
to  one  ferious  objcft,  compofe  the  habits  of  fucli 
men.  I  do  not  fay  that  rhis  mode  of  life  is  without 
enjoyment,  but  1  fay  that  the  enjoyment  fprings  from 
fmcerity.  With  a  confcioufnefs  at  the  bottom,  of 
hollownefs  and  falfchood,  the  fatigue  and  reflrain: 
v/ould  become  iufupportable.  I  am  apt  to  believe 
that  very  few  hypocrites  engage  in  thefe  under- 
takings; or,  however,  perlift  in  them  long.  Ordi- 
narily fpeaking,  nothing  can  overcome  the  indolence 
of  mankind,  the  love  which  is  natural  to  mod  tem- 
pers of  chearful  focicty  and  chearful  fcenes,  or  the 
defire,  which  is  common  to  all,  of  perfonal  eafe  and 
freedom,  but  ccnvi6lion. 

Secondly,  it  is  alfo  highly  probable,  from  the  na- 
ture of  the  cafe,  tnat  the  propagarion  of  the  nev,' 
religion  was  attended  with  difficulty  and  danger. 
As  addreffcd  to  the  Jews  it  was  a  fyftem,  adverfe 
not  only  10  their  habitual  opinions,  but  to  thofe 
opinions  upon  which  their  hopes,  their  partialities, 
iheir  pride,  their  confolation  was  founded.  This 
people,  v.'ith  or  without  reafo!),  had  worked  tliem- 

f elves 


i6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

felves  into  a  perfuafion,  that  fomefignal,  and  greatly 
advantageous  change,  was  to  be  cfTcckd  in  the  con- 
dition of  their  country,  by  the  agency  of  a  long-pro- 
raifed  raeffenger  from  heaven.     The  rulers  of  the 
Jews,  their  leading  (cS:,  their  pricfthood,  had  been 
the  authors  of  this  perfuafion  to  the  common  peo- 
■ple.     So  that  it  was  not  merely  the  conjefture  of 
theoretical  divines,  or  the  fecrct  expe^ation  of  a 
few  reclufe  devotees^  but  it  was  become  the  popu- 
lar hope  and  palTion,  and,  like  all  popular  opinions, 
undoubring,  and  impatient  of  contradiftion.     They 
clung  to  this  hope  under  every  misfortune  of  their 
country,   and  with   more  tenacity  as  their  dangers 
or  calamities  i.icreafed.     To  lind  therefore  that  ex- 
pe(51-Lttions  fo  gratifying  were  to  be  worfe  than  dif- 
appointed,  that  they  were  to  end  in  the  diffufion  of 
a  mild  unambitious  religion,   which,  inftead  of  vic- 
tories and  triumphs,  inftead  of  exalting  their  nation 
and  inftirution  above  the  reft  of  the  w^ord,  was  to 
advance    thofe  whom  they   defpifed  to  an  equality 
with  tlicmfelves,  in  thofe  very  points  of  comparifon 
in   which    they  raoft    valued  "their   own  diftinction, 
could   be    no   very  pleafmg   difcovery  to    a  Jewifli 
mind  :  nor  could  the  melTengers  of  fach  intellio-ence 
expeft  to  be  well  received  or  eafily  credited.     The 
dodfrine  was  equally  han'h  and  novel.     The  extend- 
ing of  the  kingdom  of  God  to  thofe  who  did  not 
conform  to  the  law  of  Mofes,  was  a  notion  that  had 
never  before  entered  into  the  thoughts  of  a  Jew. 

The  character  of  the  nevv^  inftitution  was,  in  other 
refpefts  aTo,  ungrateful  to  Jewilli  habits  and  prin- 
ciples. Their  own  religion  was  in  a  high  degree 
technical.  Even  the  enlightened  Jew  placed  a  great 
deal  of  ftrcfs  upon  the  ceremoHies  of  his  law,  faw  in 
them  a  great  deal  of  virtue  and  efficacy  ;  the  grofs 
and  vulgar  had  icarcely  any  tiling  elfe  ;  and  the  hy- 
pocritical and  oftentatiou:;  magnified  them  above, 
1  mcafiirc. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  17 

meafure,  as  bein^  the  inftruments  of  their  own  repu- 
tation and  influence.  The  Chridian  fchcme,  with- 
out formally  repealing  the  Leviticiil  code,  lowered 
ics  eftimation  extremely.  In  the  place  oi  (liiftnefs 
and  2eal  in  performing  tiie  obfervances  which  that 
code  prcfcribed,  or  which  tr.idirion  had  adiled  to  it, 
the  new  fe<5t  preached  up  faith,  well  regulated  alTec- 
tions,  inward  purity,  and  moral  rectitude  of  difpofi- 
tion,  as  the  true  ground,  on  the  part  of  the  worlhip- 
per,  of  merit  and  acceptance  with  God.  This, 
however  rational  it  may  appeai-,  or  recon-.m'^nding  to 
us  at  prefenr,  did  not  by  any  means  facilitate  the 
plan  then.  On  the  contrary,  to  difpurage  thofe 
qualities  which  the  higheit  charafters  in  the  country 
valued  themfelves  moft  upon,  was  a  fure  way  of 
making  powerful  enemies.  As  if  the  fiuftration  of 
the  national  hope  was  not  enough,  the  long-eileemed 
merit  of  ritual  zeal  and  punctuality  was  to  be  decried, 
and  that  by  Jews  preaching  to  Jews. 

The  ruling  party  at  Jerufalem  had  juft  before 
crucified  the  founder  of  the  religion.  That  is  a  fa£t 
which  will  not  be  difputed.  They  therefore  who 
flood  forth  to  preach  the  religion,  mufl  neceffarily 
reproach  thefe  rulers  with  an  execution,  which  they 
could  not  but  reprcfent  as  an  unjuft  and  cruel  murder. 
This  would  not  render  their  omce  more  eafy  or  their 
fituation  more  fafe. 

With  regard  to  the  interference  of  the  Roman 
government  which  was  then  cftabliilicd  in  Judca,  I 
(hould  not  expeft,  that,  dcfpifing,  as  it  dd,  the  reli- 
gion of  the  country,  it  would,  if  left  to  itfelf, 
animadvert,  either  with  much  vigilance,  or  much 
feverity,  upon  the  fchifms  and  controverfies  wl.ich 
arofe  v/ithin  it.  Yet  there  was  that  in  Chriftianity 
which  might  eafily  aiford  a  handle  of  accufaiion  to  a 
jealous  government.  The  Chrifliai'is  avowed  an  un- 
qualified obedience,  to  a  new  mailer.     They  avowed 

C  alfo 


3  3  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'Ai'o  that  lie  was  the  pcrfon  wlio  had  been  fcrefolcl 
TO  the  J-ews  under  the  fufjoec^ed  title  of  King.  The 
fpiriiual  nariire  of  this  •kingdom,  the  confiftency  of 
this  obedience  with  civil  fubjc^tion,  were  difbinclions 
iQo  refined  to  be  entertained  by  a  Roman  prefident, 
rvho  viewed  the  bufmefs  at  a  great  diftance,  or 
ilirougb  the  medium  of  very  hoflile  reprcfentations. 
Our  hiilories  accordingly  inform  us.  that  this  was 
TJie  turn  which  tiie  enemies  of  Jefus  gave  to  his 
cbarafter  and  pretenfions  in  their  reraonftrances  with 
Pontius  Piiate.  And  Juliin  Martyr,  about  a  hund- 
red years  aherwards,  complains  that  the  fame  miflake 
prevailed  in  his  time;  ye  ""  having  heard  that  we  are 
"  waiting  for  a  kingdom,  fuppofe,  without  diflin- 
*'  guilliing,  that  we  mean  a  human,  when  in  truth 
"  we  fpeak  of  that  which  is  with  God  *."  And  it 
was  undoubtedly  a  natural  fource  of  calumny  and 
mifconllrucbon. 

The  preachers  therefore  of  Chriftianity  had  to 
contend  with  prejud>ce,  backed  by  power.  They 
liad  to  come  forv/ard  to  a  difappointed  people,  to  a 
])rierthood  poiTcffing  a  confiderable  fliare  of  munici- 
pal authority,  and  a«Sluated  by  ftrong  motives  of  op- 
poHtion  and  refentinent;  and  they  had  to  do  thij 
under  a  foreign  government,  to  whofe  favour  they 
made,  no  prctenilons,  and  which  was  conffantly  fiir- 
rounded  by  tlieir  enemies.  The  v/ell  known,  becatife 
tiie  experienced  fate  of  reformers,  whenever  the  re- 
j'ormation  fubverts  fome  reigning  opinion,  and  does 
not  proceed  upon  a  change  already  taken  place  in 
lite  fentimenis  of  a  country,  will  not  allow,  much 
Ivfs  lead  us  to  fuppofe,  tliat  the  firft  propagators  of 
Chriflianiry  at  Jerufalem  and  in  Judea,  with  the  dif- 
ficulties Mnd  the  enemies  which  they  had  to  contend 
with,  and  ci'tircly  dellitute,  as  they  v/ere,  of  force, 

■■'  Apnl.  i,  p,   1 6.  cd.  Thirl. 

•  authority. 


EViDIiNCES  OF  CHRISTIANIl  Y.  t^ 

aiiihority,  or  protc«Slion,  could  execute  their  million  ■ 
W'hh  perfonal  eafe  and  fafety. 

Let  us   next  enquire  what  miiiiit   reafonahly  be. 
expec*^ed  by  the  preachers  oF  Chriftianity  when  they 
turned  themftlves  to  the  heathen  pubhc.     Now  the 
firrt:  thing  that  (Irikes  us  is,  that  the  religion  they 
carried  with  them  was  cxclu/ive.     It  denied  withcjuc 
referve  the  truth  of  every  article  of  heathen  mytho- 
logy, the  exigence  of  every  obje<ft  of  their  worfliip. 
It  accepted  no  compromife :   it  admitted  no  comprc- 
henfion.    It  mud  prevail,  if  it  prevailed  at  all,  by  the 
overthrow  of  every  ftatue,  altir  and  temple  in  the. 
world.    It  will  not  even  be  credited  that  a  defign,  fo  ' 
bold  as  this  was,  could  in  any  age  be  attempted  to 
be  carried  into  execution  with  impunity. 

For  it  ought  to  be  confidercd,  that  this  was  not 
fetiing  forth,  or  magnifying  the  charafler  and  wor- 
(liip  of  fome  new  competitor  for  a  place. in  the  Pan- 
theon,   whofe    pretenfions    might    be   difcuflVd    or 
aiTerted  without  queflioning  the  reality  of  any  others. 
It  was  pronouncing  all  other  Gods  to  be  falfe,  and 
all  other  worfliip  vain.    From  the  facility  with  which 
the  Polytlieifm  of  ancient  u^uions  admitted  new  ob- 
]cS:s  of  worfliip  into  the  number  of  their  acknow- 
ledged divinities,  or  the  patience  with  which  they 
might  entertain  propof^ls  of  this  kind,  we  can  argue 
nothing  as  to  their  toleration  of  a  fyflcm,  or  of  the 
publifliers  and  aclivr?  propagators  of  a  fyftcm,  which 
fwept  away   the    very    foundation    of  the    exifling 
efl:ablifliment.     The  one  was  nothing  more  tlian  ic 
w^ould  be,  in  Popifli  countries,  to  add  a  fiint  to  the 
calendar;  the  other  w^as  to  abolifli  and  tread  under 
foot  the  calendar  iifclf. 

Secondly,  it  ought  alfo  to  be  confidered,  rhar  this 
Avas  not  ihe  cafe  of  philofophers  propounding  in 
their  books  or  in  their  fchools,  doubts  concerning 
the   truth   of  the  popular  creed,  or   even  avowing 

C  2  t'lcir 


1*  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

their  diibelief  of  it.  Thefe  philofophers  did  not  go 
about  from  place  to  place  to  colleift  profelytes  from 
amongft  the  common  people;  to  form  in  the  heart 
of  the  country  focieties  profefling  their  tenets;  to 
provide  for  the  order,  inftruftion,  and  permanency, 
of  thefe  focieties;  nor  did  they  enjoin  their  followers 
to  withdraw  themfelves  from  the  public  worfliip  of 
the  temples,  or  refufe  a  compliance  with  the  rites 
inftituted  by  the  laws  *.  Thefe  things  are  what  the 
Chriftians  did,  and  what  the  philofophers  did  not: 
and  in  thefe  confulied  the  aftivity  and  danger  of  ths 
enterprife. 

Thirdly,  it  ought  alfo  to  be  confidered,  that  this 
danger  proceeded  not  merely  from  folemn  afts  and 
public  refolutions  of  the  flate,  but  from  fudden 
burfls  of  violence  at  particular  places,  from  the 
licence  of  the  populace,  the  raflinefs  of  fome  magif- 
trates,  and  the  negligence  of  others,  from  the  influ- 
ence and  infligation  of  interefted  advcrfaries,  and,  in 
general,  from  the  variety  and  warmth  of  opinion 
which  an  errand  fo  novel  and  extraordinary  could 
not  fail  of  exciting.  I  can  conceive  that  the  teachers 
of  Chridianity  might  both  fear  and  fuffer  much  from 
thefe  caufes,  without  any  general  perfccution  being 
denounced  againft  them  by  imperial  authority.  Some 
length  of  time,  1  fhould  fuppofe,  might  pafs  before 
the  va(t  machine  of  the  Roman  empire  would  be  put 
in  motion,  or  its  attention  ht  obtained  to  religious 
controverfy  ;  but,  during  that  time,  a  great  deal  of 
ill  ufage  might  be  endured  by  a  fet  of  friendlefs,  uiv 

*  The  beft  of  the  ancient  philofophers,  Plato,  Cicero,  and 
Epidtetus,  allowed,  or  rather  enjoined,  men  to  worftip  the 
gods  of  the  country,  and  in  the  eftablifhed  form.  See  paflages 
to  thi3  purpnfe,  collciSed  from  their  works  by  Dr.  Clarke, 
Nat.  and  Rev.  Rel.  p.  i8o,  Ed.  V.  Except  Socrates,  they 
:)!!  thought  it  wifer  to  comply  with  the  law.:,  than  to  con- 
tend. 

proteftcti 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRJSTIANITY.  2X 

protected  travellers,  telling  men,  wherever  they 
came,  that  the  religion  of  their  anccflors,  the  reli.- 
gioa  in  which  they  liad  been  brought  up,  the  reli- 
gion of  the  flate  and  of  the  magiftrate,  the  rites 
M'hich  they  frequented,  the  pomp  which  they 
admired,  was  throughout  a  fyflem  of  folly  and 
dclufion. 

Nor  do  I  think  that  the  teachers  of  Chrlftianity 
would  find  protection  in  that  general  diPoelicf  of  the 
popular  theology,  which  is  fuppofed  to  have  pre- 
vailed among  the  intelligent  part  of  the  heathen 
public.  It  is  by  no  means  true,  that  unbelievers  are 
ufually  tolerant.  They  are  not  difpofed  (and  why 
fliould  they?)  to  endanger  the  prefent  (late  of  thing?, 
by  fufFering  a  religion  of  which  they  believe  nothing, 
to  be  diflurbed  by  another  of  which  they  believe  as 
little.  They  are  ready  themfelvcs  to  conform  to  any 
thing ;  and  are,  oftentimes,  amongfl  the  foremoft  to 
procure  conformity  from  others,  by,  any  method 
which  they  think  likely  to  be  ef^Rcacious.  When 
was  ever  a  change  of  religion  patronifed  by  infidels? 
How  little,  notwithflanding  the  reigning  fcepticifm, 
and  the  magnified  liberality  of  that  age,  the  true 
principles  of  toleration  were  underflcod  by  the 
wifeft  men  amongil:  them,  may  be  gathered  from  two 
eminent  and  uncontcfted  examples.  The  younger 
Pliny,  polifhed  as  he  was,  by  all  the  literature  of 
that  foft  and  elegant  period,  could  gravely  pronounce 
this  monflrous  judgment:  "  Thcfe  who  perfifted  in 
"  declaring  themfelves  Chriftians,  I  ordered  to  be 
"  led  away  to  punifliment,  (/.  e.  to  execution)  for  I 
"  DID  NOT  DOUBT,  whatever  it  ivas  that  they  con- 
^^  fejfed^  that  contumacy  and  injlexible  objlinacy  ought 
**  to  be  pu7:ijhcci,**  His  mailer  IVajan,  a  mild  and 
accompiiflied  Prince,  went,  neverthelefs,  no  farther 
in  his  fentiments  of  moderation  and  equity,  than 
wlia:   appears   in   the   following   refcript:     "  The 

C  n^  *'  Chrillian 


22'  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

"  Chriillans^arc  not  to  be  fought  for,  but  if  any  arc 
''  brought  before  you,  and  convi£led,' they  are  to 
"  be  puniflicd."  And  this  direction  he  gives,  after 
it  had  been  reported  to  him  by  bis  own  prefident, 
that,  by  the  mod  llrift  examinaiion,  nothing  could 
be  difcovered  in  the  principks  of  tliefc  perfons,  but 
'*  a  bad  and  exceilive  fuperflition,"  accompanied,  it 
feems,  with  an  oath  or  mutual  federation,  "  to  allow 
"  themfelves  in  no  crime  or  immoral  conduiTl:  what- 
'•  ever."  The  truth  is,  the  ancient  heathens  confi- 
dered  religion  entirely  as  an  affair  of  ftate,  as  much 
under  the  tuition  of  the  magiftrate  as  any  other  part 
of  the  police.  The  religion  of  that  age  was  rot 
merely  allied  to  the  flate:  it  was  incorporated  into  it.. 
Many  of  its  ofTices  were  adminiftered  by  the  magif- 
trate. Its  titles  of  pontiffs,  augurs,  and  ficunens, 
•were  boinc  by  fenatcrs,  confuls,  and  generals. — 
Without  difcuffing,  therefore,  the  truth  of  the  theo- 
losjy,  they  refented  every  affront  put  upon  the  eifab- 
liflied  worihip,  as  a  diredl  oppofition  to  the  authority 
of  government. 

Add  to  which  that  the  religious  fyftems  of  thofe 
limes,  however  ill  fupported  by  evidence,  had  been 
long  eftablifiied.  The  ancient  religion  of  a  country 
has  always  many  votaries,  and  fometimes  not  the 
fewer,  btcaufe  its  origin  is  hidden  in  remotenefs  and 
obfcurlty.  Men  have  a  natural  veneration  for  anti- 
quity, efpccialiy  in  matters  of  religion.  What  Ta- 
citus fays  of  the  Jewifli,  was  more  applicable  to  the 
lieathen  eflabliihment,  "  hi  rirus,  quoquo  modo  in- 
"  dtifti,  antiquit«ue,  defenduntur."  It  was  alfo  a 
fplendid  and  furaptuous  vvorfiiip.  It  had  its  priefl- 
hood,  its  endowments,  its  temples.  Statuary,  paint- 
ing, archixcturc,  and  mufic,  contributed  their  effeft 
to  its  ornament  and  magnificence.  It  abounded  in 
feilival  {hows,  and  folemnities,  to  which  the  common 
people  are  greatly  addicted  j  and  which  were  of  a 

nature 


EVIDENCES  OF  CI  IRISH  ANI'lY.  23 

JKitnre  to  engage  tlicm  mncii  raore  than  :my  thinn; 
of  that  fort  among  ns.  Thcfe  tliin-rs  would  retain 
gre;it  numbers  on  its  fide  by  the  falcincuion  of  fpcr- 
tacle  and  pomp,  as  v.xll  as  interclt  n^any  in  its  pre-- 
fcrvation  by  the  advantage  which  thty  drew  from  it. 
*'  It  was  moreover  intcrwovei],"  as  Mr.  Gibhoii 
rightly  reprelents  it,  "  with  every  circiiniflance  d 
*•*  bulincls  or  pieafnre,  oF  pubhc  or  private  life,  v/ith 
•"  all  the  ofHces  and  amufements  of"  focicty.'*  Upon 
the  due  celebration  alfo  of  its  rites,  the  people  were 
taught  to  believe,  and  did  believe,  tiiat  the  profpe- 
rity  of  their  country  in  a  great  n^x'ifure  depended. 

I  am  willing  to  accept  the  account  of  the  niattvT 
which  is  given  by  Mr.  Gibbon :  "  The  various 
*■'  modes  of  worfiiip  which  prevailed  in  the  Roman 
"  world,,  were  all  confidered  by  tlie  people  as  equally 
*'  true,  by  the  philofophers  as  equally  falfe,  and  by 
"  the  magidrate  as  equally  ufcful:'^  and  I  would  r.fh 
from  which  of  thefe  three  claffes  of  men,  were  the 
Chriftian  milTionarics  to  look  for  protection  or  impu- 
nity? Could  thty  expeft  it  from  tJie  people,  "  v/hofe 
"  acknowledged  confidence  in  the  public  religion'* 
they  fubvertcd  from  its  foundation?  from  the  philo- 
foplier,  who,  "•  confidering  all  religions  as  equally 
"  falfc,"  would  of  courfe  rank  theirs  amongfl  the 
number,  with  the  addition  of  regarding  them  as  bufy 
and  troui.)lefomc  zealots?  or  from  the  magillrare, 
who,  fatisfied  with  the  '•  uiiiity"  of  the  fubfilling  re- 
ligion, would  not  be  likely  to  countenance  a  fpirit  of 
profelytifm  and  inndvation;  a  fyftem,  which  declared 
war  againil  every- other,  and  wliich,  if  it  prevailed, 
rnuft  end,  in  a  total  rupture  oi  .pnb'ic  opinion;  an 
uprtart  religion,  in  a  worJ,  v.hich  was  not  content 
with,  its  own  authority,  but- nuiftdifgrace  all  the 
fettled  religions  of.  t-heworld?  It  was  not  to  be  ima- 
gined that  he  would  enxkire  wiflKpanencei"  t'f:at  tlie 
religion  of  the  emperor  and  of  the  llaie  Ihould  be 
C  4  tLdumiiiaitJ 


?4  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

calumniated  and  borne   down,   by    a   company   of 
fuperftitious  and  defpicable  Jews. 

Ladly,  the  nature  of  ihe  cafe  affords  a  ftrong 
proof,  that  the  original  teachers  of  Chriilianity,  in, 
confequence  of  their  new  profeffion,  entered  upon  a 
new  and  fmgular  courfe  of  life.  We  may  be  allowed 
to  prefume,  that  the  inflimtion  which  they  preached 
to  others,  they  conformed  to  in  their  own  perfons  ; 
bscaufe  this  is  no  more  than  what  every  teacher  of 
a  new  religion  borh  does,  and  mufc  do,  in  order  to 
obtain  either  profelytes  or  hearers.  The  change 
which  this  would  produce  was  vt-ry  confiderable.  Ic 
is  a  change  which  we  do  not  eafily  eftimate,  becaufe 
ourfelves  and  all  about  us  being  habituated  to  the 
inflitution  from  our  infancy,  i:  i^  what  we  neither 
experience  nor  obferve.  Aft-er  men  became  Chrif- 
tians,  much  of  their  time  was  fpent  in  prayer  and 
devotion,  in  religious  meetings,  in  celebrating  the 
euchiirift,  in  conferences,  in  exhortations,  in  preach- 
ing^,  in  an  affedionate  intercourfc  with  one  another, 
and  eorrefpondence  with  other  focieties.  Perhaps 
their  mode  of  life,  in  its  form  and  habit,  was  not 
very  unlike  that  of  the  Unitas  fratrum,  or  of  modern 
Methodifts.  Think  then  what  it  was  to  becomeyz/(:>6 
at  Corinth,  at  Ephefus,  at  Antioch,  or  cv^n  at  Jeru- 
falem.  How  new?  How  alien  from  all  their  former 
habits  and  ideas,  and  from  thofe  of  every  body  about 
them?  What  a  revolution  there  muft  have  been  of 
opinions  and  prejudices  to  bring  the  matter  to  this  ? 
We  know  what  the  precepts  of  the  religion  are; 
how  pure,  how  benevolent,  how  difintereited  a  con- 
duft  they  enjoin ;  and  that  this  purity  and  benevo- 
lence is  extended  to  the  very  thoughts  and  afFedions, 
We  are  not  perhaps  at  liberty  to  take  for  granted, 
that  the  lives  oi  the  preachers  of  Chriflianity  wcr€ 
as  perfeft  as  their  leffons:  but  we  are  entitled  to 
f<?ntend,  that  the  obfervable  part  of  their  behaviour 

mufl 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  25 

muft  have  agreed  in  a  great  mcafurc  with  the  duties 
which  they  taught.  There  was",  therefore,  which 
is  all  that  we  afiert,  a  courfe  of  life  piirfued  by 
them,  difFerent  from  that  which  they  before  led. 
And  this  is  of  great  importance.  Men  are  brought 
to  any  thing  almofl  fooner  than  to  change  their  habit 
of  life,  efpecially,  when  the  change  is  either  incon- 
venient, or  made  againft:  the  force  of  natural  incli- 
nation, or  with  the  lofs  of  accuftomed  indulgences. 
"  It  is  the  mod  difficult  of  all  things,  to  convert  men 
*'  from  vicious  habits  to  virtuous  ones,  as  every  one 
"  may  jud  ^c  from  what  he  feels  in  himfclf,  as  well 
*'  as  from  what  he  fees  in  others*.'*  It  is  almofl  like 
making  men  over  again. 

Leit  then  to  myfelf,  and  without  any  more  infor- 
mation than  a  knowledge  of  the  exidence  of  the 
religion,  of  the  general  ftory  upon  which  it  is 
founded,  and  that  no  aft  of  power,  force,  or  autho- 
rity, was  concerned  in  its  firlt  fuccefs,  1  fhoilld  con- 
clude, from  the  very  nature  and  exigency  of  the 
cafe,  that  the  author  of  the  religion  during  his  life, 
and  h's  immediate  difciples  after  his  death,  exerted 
thcmfelves  in  fpreading  and  publifhing  the  inftitution 
throughout  the  country  in  which  it  began,  and  into 
which  it  was  firil  carried;  that,  in  the  profccntion 
of  this  purpofc,  they  underwent  the  labours  and 
troubles,  which  we  obferve  the  propagators  of  new 
fefts  to  undergo;  that  the  attempt  mufl:  necclTarily 
have  alfo  been  in  a  high  degree  dangerous;  that, 
from  the  fubjeft  of  the  miffion,  compared  with  the 
fixed  opinions  and  prejudices  of  thofe  to  whom  the 
miffionaries  were  to  addrcfs  thcmfelves,  they  could 
hardly  fail  of  encountering  ftrong  and  frequent  op- 
pofition;  that,  by  the  hand  of  government,  as  well 
as  from  the  fudden  fury  and  unbridled  licence  of  the 

•  Hartley's  E(i.  on  Man,  p.  190. 

people, 


0.6  A 'VIEW  OF  THE 

people,  they  would  oftentimes  exTperience  injurious 
and  cruel  treatment ;  that,  at  any  rare,  they  mull 
have  always  had  fo  much  to  fear  for  their  perfonal 
far'eiy,  as  to  have  paiTed  their  lives  in  a  ftate  of  con- 
ilant  peril  and  anxiety  ;  and  lailly,  that  their  mode 
of  lilc  and  condnft,  vifibiy  at  lead,  correfpondcd 
with  the  inflitution  which  they  delivered,  and  fo  far, 
was  both  nev/,  and  required  continual  felf  denial. 


CHAP.     II. 

^hsrs  n  fatisfndory  evidence,  thn.i  many  pfofejjing 
to  be.  original  'UJitncffcs  of  the  Chrijiian  Miracles, 
fajfcd  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers  and  fiiferings, 
'oohintarily  iindergcne  in  atfejlafion  of  toe  accounts 
ivhich.  they  delivered,  and  folely  in  confequence  of 
their  belief  of  the  truth  of  t-hefe  accounts ;  and  that 
they  afo  fiibmitted  from  the  fame  motive  to  nciu 
rules  of  conduct, 

i\FTER  tiius  confidering  what  was 
likely  to  happen,  we  are  next  to  enquire  how  the 
tranla6lion  is  reprcfented  in  the  fe.veral  accounts  that 
have  comedown  to  us.  And  this  enquiry  is  pro- 
perly preceded  by  the  other,  for.ifmuch  as  the  re- 
ception of  thefe  accounts  may  depend  in  part  upon 
the  credibility  of  what  they  cofitain. 

The  obfcure  and  didant  view  of  Chriftianity, 
which  feme  of  the  heathen  writers  of  that  age  had 
gained,  and  v/hich  a  few  paiTages  in  their  remaining 
works  incidentally  difcover  to  us,  offers  itfelf  to  our 
notice  in  the  firfl  plac£ :  becaufe,  fo  far  as  this  evi- 
dence 


EVIDENCES  OF  CIIRISriANITY.  27 

dence  goes,  it  is  ihc  concelTion  of  advcrfaries  :  the 
Iburce  from  which  ic  is  drawn  is  imfufpcftctl.  Un- 
der this  head  a  qiiotiition  from  Tacitus,  well  known 
TO  every  fcholar,  mull:  be  infcrted  as  dcfcrving  of 
particular  attention.  The  reader  will  bear  in  mind 
that  this  pafTage  was  written  about  feventy  years 
afcer  ChriiVs  death,  and  that  it  relates  to  tranfac- 
tions  which  took  place  about  thirty  yearr,  after  tliai 
event.  Speaking  of  the  fire  which  happene{!  at 
Rome  in  the  time  of  Nero,  and  of  the  fufpicions 
which  were  entertained  that  the  emperor  himfcif 
was  concerned  in  caufuig  it,  the  hidorian  proceeds 
in  his  narrative  and  obftrvations  thus  ; 

"  Bur  neither  thefe  exertions,  nor  his  hirgefles 
"  to  the  people,  nor  his  offerings  to  the  gods,  did 
"  away  the  infamous  imputation  under  which  Nero 
"  lay,  of  having;  ordered  the  city  to  be  fet  on  fire. 
''  To  put  an  end  therefore  to  this  report,  he  hiid 
"  the  guilt,  and  infli<5ied  the  moll  cruel  puniflirnenfi 
'-  upon  a  fct  of  people,  who  were  held  in  abhor- 
"  rence  for  their  crimes,  and  called  by  the  vulgar 
"  Chriftians.  The  founder  of  that  name  was  Chrifl, 
'"  who  fuffercd  death  in  the  rcii:^n  of  Tiberius,  un- 
"  der  his  procurator  Pontius  Pilate. — This  pcrni- 
"  cious  fuperllition,  thus  checked  for  a  while, 
**  broke  out  again  ;  and  fprcad,  not  only  over  Ju- 
"  da^a,  where  the  evil  originated,  but  through 
"  Rome  alio,  whither  every  thing  bad  upon  eartii 
"  finds  irs  way,  and  is  pra^ifed.  Some  who  ton- 
"  feffed  their  fe£l  were  firft  feized,  and  afterwards 
'"  by  their  information  a  valt  multitude  were  appre- 
"  hended,  who  were  convi61edj  not  fo  much  of  the 
"  crime  of  burning  Rome,  as  of  hatred  to  mankind, 
"  Their  full^rings  at  their  execution  were  aggra- 
"  vated  by  infult  and  mockery,  for  fome  were  dif- 
"  guifed  in  the  f!<ins  of  wild  beads,  and  worried  to 
"  death  by  dogs — fome  were  crucified — and  othtr> 

*■'  were 


28  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


"  were  wrapt  In  pitched  fliirts*,  and  fet  on  fire 
"  when  the  day  clofed,  that  they  mighr  fervc  as 
"  lights  to  illuminate  the  night.  Nero  lent  his  own 
"  gardens  for  thefe  executions ;  and  exhibited  at 
*'  the  fame  time  a  mock  Circenfian  entertainment, 
*'  being  a  fpeftator  of  the  whole  in  the  drefs  of  a. 
*'  charioteer,  fometimes  mingling  with  the  crowd  on 
*'  foot,  and  fometimes  viewing  the  fpv  6iacles  from 
*'  his  car.  This  condu6l  made  the  fuiferers  pitied  j 
*'  and  though  they  were  criminals,  and  deferving 
*'  the  fevered:  punifliment,  yet  they  were  confidered 
**  as  facrificed,  not  fo  much  out  of  a  regard  to  the 
*'  public  good,  as  to  gratify  the  cruelty  of  one  man." 
Our  concern  with  this  pafTage  at  prefcnt  is  only 
.-To  far,  as  it  affords  a  prefumprion  in  fupport  of  the 
propofitlon  which  we  maintain,  concerning  the  afti- 
vity  and  fuferings  of  the  firll:  teachers  of  Chriftia- 
■nity.  Now,  conlldered  in  this  view,  it  proves  three 
things,  ift,  that  the  founder  of  the  inftitution  was 
put  to  death  ;  2dly,  that,  in  the  fame  country  in 
which  he  was  put  to  death.,  the  religion,  after  a 
Ihort  check,  broke  out  again  and  fpread  ;  3dly,  that 
it  fo  fpread,  as  that,  within  thirty-four  years  from 
the  author's  death,  a  very  great  number  of  Chrifti- 
ans  (Ingens  eorum  raultitudo)  were  found  at  Roiue. 
From  which  h£t,  the  two  following  Inferences  may 
be  fairly  drawn  ;  firft,  that,  if,  in  the  fpace  of  thirty- 
four  years  from  its  commencement,  the  religion  had 
fpread  throughout  Judaea,  had  extended  itfelf  to 
Rome,  and  there  had  numbered  a  great  multitude 
of  converts,  the  original  teachers  and  miffionaries 
6f  the  inflitutlon  could  not  have  been  idle  j  fecondly, 

*  This  is  rather  a  paraphrafe,  but  is  jnftificd  by  Avhat  the 
Scholiafl:  upon  Juvenal  fays — "  Nero  maleficos  homines  teda  et 
"  papyro  et  cera  fuper  veftiebat,  et  fic  ad  ignem  ad  mover!  ju- 
"  bebat,  ut  arderun:."     Lard,  Jewifii  ai'id  Heath.  Teft.  vol.  I. 

P-  359- 

that 


EVIDEN'CES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  29 

that  when  the  author  of  the  undertaking  was  put 
to  death  as  a  malefaf^or  for  his  attempt,  the  endea- 
vours of  his  foUcwers  to  eftahlifli  his  religion,  in  the 
fame  country,  amongfl:  the  fame  people,  and  in  the 
feme  age,  could  not  but  be  attended  with  danger. 

Suetonius,  a  writer  contemporary  with  Tacitus, 
defcribin  ',  the  trmfaftions  of  the  fame  reign,  ufes 
thefe  words,  "  Affi^fti  fupliciis  Chrilliani,  genus  ho- 
*'  minim  fuperftiiionis  novje  et  maleficje  *.**  "  The 
"  Chrillians  a  fct  of  men,  of  a  new  and  mifchievous 
**  (or  magical)  fuperftition,  were  puniflied.'* 

Since  it  is  not  mentioned  here  that  the  burning 
of  the  city  was  the  pretence  of  the  punillimtnt  of 
the  Chrillians,  or  that  they  were  the  Chriftians  of 
Rene  who  alone  fuffered,  it  is  probable  that  Sueto- 
nius refers  to  fome  more  general  perfecution  than 
the  ihort  and  occafional  one  which  Tacitus  defcribes. 

Juvenal,  a  writer  of  the  fame  age  with  the  two 
former,  and  intending,  as  it  fliould  feem,  to  comme- 
morate the  cruelties  exercifed  under  Nero*s  go- 
vernment, has  the  following  lines  | : 

**  Pone  Tigellinum  teua  lucebcs  in  ilia 

"  Qua  ftantes  ardenr,  qui  fixo  gutturc  fiimant, 

**  Et  latum  media  fulcum  \  deducit  arena." 

'•  Defcribc  Tigellinum,  (a  creature  of  Nero's)  and 
**  you  iliall  fuffcr  the  fame  punifhment  with  thofe 
"  who  (land  burning  in  their  own  flame  and  fmoke, 
"  their  head  being  held  up  by  a  Hake  fixed  to  their 
**  chin,  till  they  make  a  long  ftream  of  blood  and 
"  melted  fulphur  on  the  ground." 

If  this  palfage  v/ere  confidered  by  itfelf,  the  fub- 
Jeft  of  the  allufion  might  be  doubtful ;  but  whea 
eonnedted  with  the  teliimony  of  Suetonius,  as  to  the 

*  Suet.  Nero.  cap.  16.  f  Saf.  i.  ver.  15;. 

X  Forfan  "deducis." 

av>ual 


30  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

aftual  puniriiinciu  of  the  ChriRians  by  Nero  ;  and 
W'ith  the  ?iCcount  given  by  Tacicus  of  the  /peeks  of 
punifliment  which  they  were  'made  to  undergo  ;  I 
think  ic  fufHciendy  probable,  that  thefe  were  the 
executions  to  which  the  poet  refers. 

Thefc  things,  as  has  already  been  obferved,  took 
place  within  thirty-one  years  a*ter  Cnril't's  death, 
that  is,  according  to  the  courfe  of  nature,  in  the 
life-time,  probably,  of  fome  of  the  apoftlcs,  and  cer- 
tainly in  the  life-time  of  thofe'who  were  converted 
by  the  apoRles,  or  who  were  converted  in  their 
lime.  If  then  the  founder  of  the  religion  was  put 
to  de?uh.  in  the  execution  of  his  def]gn  ;  if  the  firfl 
race  of  converts  to  the  religion,  many  of  them  fuf- 
fered  the  greateil  extremities  for  iheir  profcfTion  ;  it 
is  hardly  credible  that  thofe  who  came  between  the 
two,  who  v;ere  companions  of  the  author  of  the  in- 
iliruiion  during  his  life,  and  the  teachers  and  propa- 
pators  of  the  inftitution  after  his  death,  could  "o 
about  their  undertaking  with  eafe  and  fafety- 

The  teftirnony  of  the  younger  Pliny  belongs  to  a 
later  period  ;  for  although  he  Vi'a:-:  contemporary 
with  Tacitus  and  Suetonius,  yet  his  account  does 
nor,  like  theirs,  go  back  to  the  tranfadions  of  Nero's 
reign,  but  is  confmed  to  the  auairs  of  his  own  time. 
His  celebrated  letter  to  Trajan  was  vv'ritten  about 
feventy  years  after  Chrifl's  death  ;  and  the  informa- 
tion to  be  drawn  from  it,  fo  far  as  it  is  connefted 
^vith  our  argument,  relates  principally  to  two  points; 
ilril,  to  the  number  of  Chriflians  in  Byihynia  and 
Fontus,  whkh  was  fo  confiderable  as  to  induce  the 
governor  of  thefe  provinces  to  fpeak  of  them  in  the 
following  terms,  "  Multi,  omnis  £etatis,  utriufque 
"  fexiis  etiiim- — neque  cniii^  civitatcs  tantum,  fed  vi- 
*'  cos  etiam  ct  agros,  fuperftiiionis  .ilfius  contagio 
"  pervagata  eft."  "  There  arc  many  of  every  age 
"  and  of  both  fexes — nor  has  the  contagion  of  this 

"  fuper- 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ji 

"  fuperftition  feized  cities  only,  but  fmalltir  towns 
*'  alfo,  :ind  the  open  cnnntvy.'*  Great  exertions 
rnuft  have  been  ufcd  by  the  preachers  of  Chrillia- 
nity  to  produce  this  fiate  of  thin^^s  within  iliis  time. 
Secondly,  to  a  point  which  hath  been  already  no- 
ticed, and  which  I  think  of  importance  to  be  ob- 
ferved,  namely,  the  fuH'erings  to  which  Chrifiians 
were  expofed,  ivilhout  any  public  pcifecuiion  bein^; 
denounced  againlt  them  by  fovercign  authority. 
For,  from  Pliny's  doubt  how  he  was  to  aft,  hij 
filence  concerning  any  fubiiCtinglaw  upon  the  fub- 
je6l,  his  requeuing  the  emperor's  refcript,  and  the 
emperor,  agreeably  to  hi:»  rcqucft,  propounding  a 
rule  for  his  dire^^tion,  without  reference  to  any  prior 
rule,  it  may  be  inferred,  that  there  was,  at  that  lime, 
no  public  cdi(5l  againft  tlie  Chriftians  in  force.  Yet 
from  this  fame  epillle  of  Pliny  it  appears  "  that  ac- 
"  cufations,  trials  and  examinations  were,  and  had 
"  been,  going  on  againH:  them,  in  the  provinces 
"  over  which  he  prefided  ;  that  fchedules  were  de- 
"  livered  by  anonymous  informers,  containing  the 
"  names  of  pnfons  who  were  fufpefled  of  holding 
"  or  o'i  favourmg  the  religion  ;  that,  in  coiifcquence 
"  of  thefe  informations,  many  had  been  apprehend- 
"  ed,  of  whiOm  fome  boldly  avowed  their  profeiTion, 
"  and  died  in  the  caufe ;  others  denied  that  they 
"  were,  Chridians  ;  otliers  acknowledged  that  they 
"  had  once  been  Chrifdans,  but  declared  that  they 
"  had  long  ceafed  to  be  fuch."  All  which  demon- 
ftrates,  that  the  profefTion  of  ChriRianity  was  at  that 
time  (in  that  country  at  lead)  atiei.d -d  with  fear  and 
danger;  and  yet  this  took  place  without  any  edift 
from  the  Roman  fovcreign,  commanding  or  awiho- 
rifmg  the  perfecution  of  Chrillians.  This  obferva- 
tion  is  further  confirmed  by  a  refcript  of  Adrian  to 
Miniuius  Fundanus,  the  pro-conful  of  Afia  *  :  from 


*  L?.rd.  Ileiith,     Tcfl.  vol.  II.  a  1 1 o. 


which 


3Z  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

which  receipt  it  appears  that  the  cuftom  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Afia  was  to  proceed  againfl  the  Chriftians 
with  tumult  and  uproar.  This  diforderly  praftice, 
I  fay,  is  recognized  in  the  edift,  becaufe  the  emperor 
enjoins,  that,  for  the  future,  if  the  Chriftians  were 
guilty  they  ftiould  be  legally  brought  to  trial,  and 
not  be  purfued  by  importunity  and  clamour. 

Martial  \vrote  a  few  years  before  the  younger 
Pliny  ;  and,  as  his  manner  was,  made  the  fufferings 
of  the  Chriftians  the  fubjeft  of  his  ridicule*.  No- 
thing however  could  (how  the  notoriety  of  the  hO: 
with  more  certainty  than  this  does.  Martial's  tefti- 
raony,  as  w^U  indeed  as  Pliny's,  goes  alfo  to  another 
point,  viz.  that  the  deaths  of  thefe  men  were  mar- 
tyrdoms in  the  flrifteft  fenfe,  that  is  to  fay,  were  fo 
voluntary,  that  it  was  in  their  power,  at  the  time  of 
pronouncing  the  fentence,  to  have  averted  the  exe- 
cution,  by  confenting  to  join  in  heathen  facrifices. 

The  conftancy,  and  by  confequence  the  fufferings, 
of  the  Chriftians  of  this  period,  is  alfo  referred  to 
by  Epiftetus,  who  imputes  their  intrepidity  to  mad- 
nefs,  or  to  a  kind  of  fafliion  or  habit;  and  about 
fifty  years  afterwards,  by  Marcus  Aurelius,  who 
afciibe^  it  to  obftinacy.  "  Is  it  polllble"  (Epicletus 
afks)  '*  that  a  man  may  arrive  at  this  temper,  and 
"  become  indifferent  to  thofe  things,  from  madnefs  or 
"  from  habit,  m  the  Oalileam\V^  "  Let  this  prepa- 
"  ration  of  the  mind  (to  die)  arife  from  its  own  judg- 
"  meut,  and  not  from  obftinacy  like  the  Chrijiians^.'^ 

*  In  rnatutina  nuper  fpecJlatus  arena 

Mucius,  impofuit  qui  ina  irembra  foels  j 
Si  patiens,  fortifque  tibi,  durufque  videtur, 
Abderitanas  pectora  plebis  habes. 
Nam  cum  dicatur  tunica  pr^fente  molerta, 
Uref  manum:  plus  eft  dicsre,  non  facio. 

±  Epic.  1,  iv.  c.  7.  §  Marc.  Aur.  Med.  1.  xi.  c.  3. 

I  Forfan  "  thure  rnanum.'' 

2  CHAP. 


EVIDENCES  or  CHRISTIANITY.  33 


CHAP.    III. 

There  is  falls fiiciory  evidence^  thai  many  profcjfing  to 
be  original  luitncffcs  of  the  Cbrijiian  Miracles^ 
pa  [fed  fJjeir  lives  in  labours^  dangers^  and  fuffcr- 
ings,  voluntarily  undergone  in  alteflation  of  the  ac- 
counts which  they  delivered^  and  folcly  in  confc-^ 
quence  of  their  belief  of  thefe  accounts  ;  and  that 
they  alfo  fubmitted  fro?n  the  fame  motive  to  r.eis) 
ru  'cs  of  conduct. 

vJf  the  primitive  condition  of  Chrlfli- 
anity,  a  diilant  only  and  general  view  can  be  ac- 
quired fro  n  lieaihen  writers.  It  is  in  our  own  books 
that  the  detail  asd  interior  of  the  tranfii^lion  mult  be 
fought  for.  And  this  is  nothing  different  from  what 
mii^ht  be  cxpefted.  Who  would  write  a  hiflory  ot 
Chri!Vi;iniry  hut  a  Chrillian  ?  Who  was  likely  to  re- 
cord the  travels,  fulferings,  labours,  or  fucceffes  of 
the  apoftles,  hnx.  one  of  their  own  ninnber,  or  of 
their  followers  .?  Now  thcfc  books  come  up  in  their 
acconnrs  to  the  full  extent  of  the  propofition  which 
we  maintain.  We  have  four  hiftories  of  Jefus  Chriff. 
We  have  a  hi  (lory  taking  up  the  narrative  from  his 
death,  and  carrying  on  a;i  account  of  the  propagation 
of  the  religion,  and  of  fome  of  the  mod  eminent 
perfons  engaged  in  it,  for  a  fpace  of  nearly  thirty 
years.  We  have,  what  fome  may  think  ftill  more 
original,  a  c;)lic6tion  of  letter^,  written  by  certain 
principal  agents  in  the  bufmefs,  upon  the  bufincfs, 
and  in  the  midfl  of  their  concern  and  cannesflicn 
with  it.  And  we  have  thcfc  writings  feverally  at- 
teiling  the  point  which  we  contend  f^r,  viz.  the  fut- 
ferings  of  the  witiieffes  of  the  hillory,  and  attefling 

D  it 


;I4  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

it  in  every  vririety  of  form  in  which  it  can  be  con-* 
ceived  to  appear ;  directly  and  indire£lly,  exprefsly 
and  incidentally,  by  affertion,  recital  and  allufion,  by 
narratives  of  fa6fs,  and  by  argurncnts  and  difcourfes 
built  upon  thcfe  facls,  either  referring  to  them,  or 
necelTarily  prefupp' fmg  them. 

I  remark  this  variety,  bccaufe  in  examining  an- 
cient records,  or  indeed  any  fpecies  of  teftimony,  it 
is,  in  my  opinion,  of  the  greatcfl  importance  to  at- 
tend to  the  information  or  grounds  of  argument 
which  are  cafually  and  undefignedly  difclofed  ;  foraf- 
mu(h  as  this  fpecies  .  f  proof,  is,  of  all  others,  the 
leafl  liable  to  be  corrupted  by  fraud  or  niifrepre- 
fentation. 

I  may  be  allov/ed  therefore,  in  the  enquiry  Vv'hich 
is  nov/  before  us,  to  fuggell  fome  conclufions  of  this 
fort,  as  preparatory  to  more  direft  tedim.ony. 

I.  Our  books  relate,  .that  Jefus  Chrifl,  the  founder 
of  the  religion,  v^'as,  in  confequence  of  his  undertak- 
ing, put  to  death,  as  a  raalefacftor,  at  Jerufalera. 
This  point  at  leaft  will  be  granted,  becaufe  it  is  no 
more  than  what  Tacitus  has  recorded.  They  then 
proceed  to  tell  us,  that  the  religion  was,  notzvith- 
Jiand'mgy  fet  forth  at  this  fam.e  city  of  Jerufalem, 
propagated  from  thence  throughout  Judasa,  and  af- 
terwards preached  in  other  parts  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire. Thefe  points  alfo  are  fully  confirmed  by  Ta- 
citus, Vv^ho  informs  us  that  the  religion,  after  a  fhorc 
check,  broke  out  again  in  the  country  where  it  took 
its  rife ;  that  it  not  only  fpread  throughout  Judcea, 
but  had  reached  Rome  ;  and  iVix.  it  had  there  great 
multitudes  of  converts  :  and  all  this  within  thirty 
years  after  its  commxencement.  Now  thefe  facts  af- 
ford a  (frong  inference  in  behalf  of  the  propofition 
which  we  maintain.  What  could  the  difciples  of 
Ghriff  expecl  for  themfelves,  when  they  faw  their 
Waller  put  to  death  I  Could  they  hope  to  efcape  the 

dangers. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  35 

i3angers,  in  which  he  had  periflied  ?  If  tliey  have 
perfccutcd  me,  they  will  alfo  perfecute  you,  was  the 
warning  of  common  fenfe.  With  this  example  be- 
fore their  eyes,  they  could  not  be  without  a  fall 
fenfe  of  the  peril  of  their  future  enterprife. 

2.  Secondly,  all  the  hillories  agree  in  reprefent- 
ing  Chrili  as  foretelling  the  perfccution  of  his  fol- 
lowers. 

"  Then  fliall  they  deliver  you  up  to  be  afllitfted, 
"  and  (hall  kill  you,  and  ye  fliall  be  hated  of  all  na- 
"  tions  for  my  name's  fake*." 

"  When  affliftion  or  perfccution  arifcth  for  the 
*'  word's  fake,  immediately  they  are  oiFcnded|.'* 

"  They  fliall  lay  hands  on  you,  and  perfecute  you, 
"  delivering  you  up  to  the  fynagogues,  and  into  pri- 
*'  fons,  being  brought  before  kings  and  rulers  for 
"  my  name's  fake — and  ye  fliall  be  betrayed  both 
"  by  parents  and  brethren,  and  kinsfolks  and 
"  friends,  and  fome  of  you  fliall  they  caufe  to  be 
*'  put  to  death  J." 

"  l"ne  time  coraeih  that  he  that  killeth  you  will 
*'  think  that  he  doeth  God  fervice.  And  thefc  things 
"  will  they  do  unto  you,  becaufe  they  have  not 
"  known  the  Father  nor  me.  But  thefe  things  have 
*'  1  told  you,  that  when  the  time  fliall  come  ye  may 
"  remember  that  1  told  you  of  them  §." 

I  atn  nor  entitled  to  argue  from  ihcfe  pafT.iges,  that 
Chrill  aftually  did  foretel  thefe  events,  and  that  they 
did  accordinidy  come  to  pafs,  becaufe  that  would  be 
at  once  to  affume  the  truth  of  the  religion  :  but  I 
am  entitled  to  contend,  that  one  fide  or  other  of  the 
following  disjunction  is  true,  either  that  the  evange- 
lifts  have  delivered  what  Chrifl:  really  fpoke,  and 

*  Matt.  xxiv.  9.         f  Mark  \v.  17,  fee  alf^J  x.  ;7o. 

|,  Luke  xxi.  12 — 16.  fee  alfo  xi.  49. 

j  John  xvi.  4.  fee  alfo  xv.  20,  and  xvi.  35. 

D  2  that 


Yy  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

that  the  event  correfponded  with  the  prediction  ;  or 
that  they  put  the  prediction  into  Chrift's  mouth,  be- 
caufe  at  the  time  of  writing  the  hiftory,  the  event 
had  turned  out  fo  to  be  :  for  the  only  two  remaining 
fuppofitions  appear  in  the  highefl  degree  incredible, 
which  are,  either  that  Chrift  filled  the  minds  of  his 
followers  with  fears  and  apprehenfions,  without  any 
j-eafon  or  authority  for  what  he  faid,  and  contrary 
to  the  truth  of  the  cafe ;  or  that,  although  Chrift 
had  never  foretold  any  fuch  thing,  and  the  event 
would  have  contradi£led  him  if  he  had,  yet  hiflo- 
rians  who  lived  in  the  r.ge  when  the  event  was 
known,  falfely  as  well  as  officiouily,  afcribed  thefe 
words  to  him. 

3.  Thirdly,  thefe  books  abound  W'lth  exhorta- 
tions to  patience,  and  with  topics  of  comfort  under 
diflrefs. 

"  Who  fliall  feparatc  us  from  the  love  of  Chrifl:  ? 
**  Shall  tribulation,  or  diftrefs,  or  perfecution,  or 
*'  famine,  or  nakednefs,  or  peril,  or  fword  ?  Nay, 
"  in  all  thefe  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors 
*'  through  him  that  loved  us*." 

"  We  are  troubled  on  every  fide,  yet  not  dif- 
*'  treffed  ;  we  are  perplexed,  but  not  in  defpair ; 
*'  perfccuted,  but  not  forfaken  ;  cad  down,  but  not 
"  deliroyed  ;  always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the 
*'  dying  of  the  Lord  Jefus,  that  the  life  alfo  of  Jefus 
"  might  be  made  manifeO:  in  our  body — knowing 
"  that  he  which  raifed  up  the  Lord  Jefus,  fliall  raife 
"  us  up  alfo  by  Jefus,  and  fhall  prefent  us  with  you 
"  — for  which  caufe  v/e  faint  not,  but,  though  our 
"  outv/ard  man  periai,  yet  the  inward  man  is  re- 
"  newed  day  by  day  ;  for  our  light  affliction,  which 
"  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more 
*'  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory f.*' 

*  Rom.  viii,  35,  37.         f  2  Cor.  Iv.S,  9,  lo,  14,  16,  17. 

"  Tak5 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  37 

"  Take  my  brethren  the  prophets,  who  have 
*'  fpoken  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  for  an  example 
**  of  fufFcring  affliction,  and  of  patience.  Bt'hcld  we 
"  count  them  happy  which  endure.  Ye  have  heard 
"  of  the  patience  of  Job,  and  have  feen  the  end  of 
"  the  Lord,  that  the  Lord  is  very  pitiful,  and  of 
"  tender  mercy*.'* 

"  Call  to  remembrance  the  former  days,  in  which, 
"  after  ye  were  illuminated,  ye  endured  a  great 
**  fight  of  afflictions,  partly  whilft  ye  were  made  a 
"  gazing  flock  both  by  reproaches  and  afiliCtions, 
*'  and  partly,  whilft  ye  became  companions  of  them 
"  that  were  fo  ufed  ;  for  ye  had  compafTion  of  me 
"  in  my  bonds,  and  took  joyfully  the  fpoiling  of 
"  your  goods,  knowing  in  yourfelves  that  ye  have 
*'  in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  fubftance. 
*'  Caft  not  dway  therefore  your  confidence,  which 
"  hath  great  recompence  of  reward  ;  for  ye  have 
"  need  of  patience,  that  after  yc  have  done  the  will 
**  of  God,  ye  might  receive  the  promife-j-." 

"  So  that  we  ourfelvcs  glory  in  you  in  the 
"  churches  of  God,  for  your  patience  and  faith  in 
**  all  your  perfecutions  and  tribulations  that  ye  en- 
"  dure.  Which  is  a  mariifcft  token  of  the  righteous 
"judgment  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  accounted 
"  worthy  of  the  kingdom  tor  which  ve  alfo  fuf- 
«  ferj." 

"  We  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  Cod  ;  and 
"  not  only  fo,  but  we  glory  in  tribulations  alfo ; 
"  knowing  that  tribulaiion  workcth  patience,  and 
"  patience  experience,  and  experience  hope§.'* 

"  Beloved,  think  it  not  ftrange  concerning  the 
"  fiery  trial  which  is  to  try  you,  as  though  fome 
"  ftrange  thing   happened  unto   you,  but   rejoice, 

*  James  v.   10,   11.  f   Heb.  x.  32 — 36. 

I  2  Their,  i.  I — 5.  §  Rom.  v.   3,  4. 

D  ^  "  inafmuch 


38  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

**  inafmnch  as  ye  are  partakers  of  ChfiTl's  fufFerings. 
*'  Whrrefore  let  them  that  fufFer  according  to  the 
"  will  of  God,  commit  the  keeping  of  their  fouls  to 
"  him  in  well  doing  as  unto  a  faitliful  Creator*." 

What  could  all  thefe  rexts  mean,  if  there  was 
nothing  in  the  circuraftances  of  the  limes  which 
required  patience,  which  called  for  the  exercife  of 
conftancy  and  refolution  ?  or  will  it  be  pretended 
that  ihefe  exhortations  (which  let  it  be  obferved, 
come  not  from  one  author,  but  from  many)  were 
put  in,  merely  to  induce  a  belief  in  after-ages,  that 
the  firfl  Chrillians  were  expofed  to  dangers  which 
they  were  not  expofed  to,  or  underwent  fufFerings 
which  they  did  not  undergo  ?  If  thefe  books  belong 
to  the  age  to  which  they  lay  claim,  and  in  which 
age,  whether  genuine  or  fpurious,  -  they  certainly 
did  appear,  this  fuppofition  cannot  be  maintained  for 
a  moment;  becaufe  I.think  it  impoffible  to  believe 
that  palTages,  which  mufi:  be  deemed  not  only  unin- 
telligible but  falfe,  by  the  perfons  into  whofe  hand, 
the  books  upon  their  publication  were  to  come, 
fliould  neverthelefs  be  inferted,  for  the  purpofe  of 
producing  an  effeft  upon  remote  generations.  In 
forgeries  which  do  not  appear  till  many  ages  after 
that  to  which  they  pretend  to  belong,  it  is  pofTible 
that  fome  contrivance  of  that  fort  may  take  place  5 
but  in  no  others  can  it  be  attempted. 

*   I  Peter,  iv.  12,   13,  19. 


CHAP. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ^^ 


CHAP.     IV. 

There  is  fatisfa6lory  evidence  that  many  profejftng  io 
be  original  %uitneffes  of  the  Chrijlian  Miracles^ 
pajfed  their  lives  in  labours^  ■  dangers  and  fujf'er- 
ings,  voluntariiy  undergone  in  atfejiation  of  the 
accounts  which  they  delivered,  and  folcly  in  confe- 
quence  of  their  belief  of  thofe  accounts  ;  and  that 
they  alfo  fubmitted  from  the  fame  motives  to  new 
rules  of  conduct. 

1  HE  account  of  the  treatment  of  the 
religion  and  of  the  exertions  of  its  firll  preachers, 
as  dated  in  our  fcriptures,  not  in  a  profclTed  hiftory 
of  perfecutions,  or  in  the  connected  manner  in  which 
1  am  about  to  recite  it,  but  difperfedly  and  occa- 
fionally,  in  the  courfe  of  a  mixed,  general,  hiftory, 
(which  circum!lance  alone  negatives  the  fuppofiiioii 
of  any  fraudulent  defign)  is  the  following  ;  "  That 
"  the  founder  of  Chriftianity,  from  the  commence- 
"  ment  of  his  miniftry  to  the  time  of  his  violent 
"  death,  employed  himfclf  wholly  in  publiihing  the 
*'  inftiiurion  in  Judaea-  and  Galilee ;  that,  in  order 
"  to  afliil  him  in  this  purpofe,  he  made  choice,  out 
"  of  the  number  of  his  followers,  of  twelve  pcrfcns, 
"  who  might  accompany  him  as  he  travelled  from 
"  place  to  place  ;  that,  except  a  (liort  abftnce  upon 
"  a  journey,  in  which  he  fent  them,  two  by  two, 
"  to  announce  his  miuinn,  and  one,  of  a  few  days, 
"  when  they  went  before  him  to  Jerufalem,  thefe 
"  perions  were  ftatediy  and  conftanrly  attending 
"  upon  him  ;  that  they  were  with  him  at  Jerufalem 
"  when  he  was  apprehended  and  put  to  death ;  and 
"  that   they  y/ere  commillioned  by  him,  when  his 

D  4  "  own 


4«  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

own  miniftry  was  concluded,  to  publifli  his  gofpel, 
and  collefl  difciples  to  it  from  all  countries  of  the 
world."  The  account  then  proceeds  to  flate, 
1  hat,  a  few  days  after  his  departure,  thefe  per- 
fons,  with  fome  of  his  relations,  and  fome  who 
had  regularly  frequented  their  fociety,  affemhled 
at  Jerufalem  ;  that,  confidering  the  office  of 
preaching  the  religion  as  now  devolved  upon 
them,  and  one  of  their  number  having  deferred 
the  caufe,  and,  repenting  of  his  perfidv,  having 
deftroyed  himfclf,  they  proceeded  to  eieft  another 
into  his  place,  and  that  they  were  careful  to  make 
their  election  out  of  the  number  of  thofe  who  had 
accompanied  their  mailer  from  the  firft  to  the  lad:, 
in  order,  as  they  alleged,  that  he  might  be  a  wit- 
nefs,  together  with  thtmfelves,  of  the  principal 
fa6ls  which  they  were  about  to  produce  and  re- 
late concerning  him*;  that  they  began  their  work 
at  Jeriifalem,  by  publicly  afferting  that  this  Jefos, 
whom  the  rulers  and  inhabitants  of  that  place  had 
fo  lately  crucified,  was,  in  truth,  the  perfon  in 
whom  ail  their  prophecies  and  long  expe6>ations 
terminated ;  that  he  had  been  fent  amongfl  them 
by  God  ;  and  that  he  was  appointed  by  God  the 
future  judge  of  the  human  fpecies  ;  that  all,  who 
were  folicitous  to  fecure  to  themfelves  happinefs 
after  death,  ought  to  receive  him  as  fuch,  and  to 
make  profefiion  of  their  belief,  by  being  baptifed 
in  his  name-j-."  The  hiflory  goes  on  to  relate. 
That  confiderable  numbers  accepted  this  propofal, 
and  thofe  who  did  fo,  formed  amongft  themfelves 
a  UrlLl:  union  and  fociety|;  that,  the  attention  of 
the  Jewiili  government  being  foon  drawn  upon 
them,  two  of  the  principal  perfons  of  the  twelve, 
and  who  alfo  had  lived  moil  intimately  and  con- 

*  A£ts  i.  21,  22.  t  Aas  xl.  X  Ads  V.  41. 

"  ftantly 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  41 

*'  ftantly  with  the  founder  of  the  religion,  v/ere  fcized 
*'  as  they  were  difcourfmg  to  the  people  in  the  tem- 
"  pie;  that,  after  being  kept  all  nisjht  in  prifon,  tliey 
"  were  brought  the  next  day   before  an  ailembly 
*'  compofed  of  the  chief  perfons  of  the  Jewifli  ma- 
'♦  giftracy  and  priedhood  ;  that  this  affembly,  after 
*'  ifome  confiiitatJon,  found   nothing,  at  that  time, 
«'•  better  to  be  done  towards  fuppreffing  the  growth 
*'  of  the  feet,  than  to  threaten  their  prifoncrs  with 
*'  punifliment  if  they  perfifted  •,  that  thefe  men,  after 
*'  txpreffing,  in  decent  but  firm  language,  the  obli- 
*'  gatian  under  which  they  cortfidered  themfelves  to 
"  be,  to   declare  what  they  knew,  '  to  fpe■^k  the 
"  things  which  they  had  fcen  and  heard,*  returned 
•'  from  the  council,  and  reported  what  had  pafled 
"  to  their   companions  ;  that  this  report,  whiHl  it 
*'  apprized  them  of  the  danger  of  their  fituation  and 
*'  undertaking,  had  no  other  effefl  upon  tlieir  con- 
"  duct,  than  to  produce  in  them  a  general  refolutioii 
*'  to   perfevere,  and   an   earneft  prayer  to  God  to 
"  farnifli  them  with  alTi.lance,  and  to  infpire  them 
"  with    fortitude,    proportioned    to    the    increafmg 
"  exigency  of  the  fervice'*.'*     A  very   fliort   time 
after  this,  we  read  *'  that   all  the   twelve  apoftles 
"  were   feized   and   call   into  prifon  | ;    that    being 
"  brought  a  fv-xond   time  before  the  Jewifli  San- 
*'  hedrim,  they   were  upbraided  with  their  difobe- 
"  dience  to  the  injunftion  which  had  been  laid  upoa 
"  tiiem,  and  beaten  for  their  contumacy ;   that  be- 
*'  ing  charged  once  more  to  dsfift,  they  were  fuf- 
*'  fered    to    depart  ;    that,    however,    they  neither 
*'  quilted    jerufalem,    nor   ceafed    from    preaching, 
*'  both   daily   in    the    temple,   and   from    houfe    to 
"lioufej;    and    that  the  twelve  confiJered   them. 

*  Ads  iv.  f  Aas  V.  iS,  X  Afts  V. 

*'  felves 


42  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

*'  felves  as  fo  entirely  and  exclufively  devoted  t© 
*'  this  office,  tliat  they  now  transferred,  what  may 
*'  be  called  the  temporal  affairs  of  the  fociety,  to 
"  other  hands  *." 

Hitherto  the  preachers  of  the  new  religion  feem 
to  have  had  the  common  people  on  their  fide;  which 
is  affi;;^ned  as  the  reafon,  why  the  Jewiih  rulers  did 
not,  at  this  time,  think  it  prudent  to  proceed  to 
greater  extremities.  It  was  not  long,  however,  be- 
fore the  enemies  of  the  inllitution  found  means  to 
reprefent  it  to  the  people  as  tending  to  fubvert 
their  law,  degrade  their  law  giver,  and  diflionour 
their  temple  f.  And  thefe  infinuations  were  dif- 
perfed  with  fo  much  fuccefs,  as  to  induce  the  people 
to  join  with  their  fuperiors  in  the  ftoning  of  a  very 
;i6live  member  of  the  new  community. 

*  I  do  not  know  that  it  has  ever  been  infmuated,  that  the 
Chriftian  miffion,  in  the  hafids  oi:  the  apoftles,  was  a  Icheme 
-for  making  a  fortune,  or  for  getting  money.  But  it  may, 
neverthelels  be  fit  to  remark  upon  this  palTage  of  their  hiftory, 
how  perfecily  free  they  appear  to  have  been  from  any  pecu- 
niary or  interclled  views  whatever.  The  mod  tempting  oppor- 
tunity, which  occurred,  of  making  a  gain  of  their  converts, 
was  by  the.cuftody  and  management  of  the  public  funds,  when 
fome  of  the  richer  members,  intending  to  contribute  their 
fortunes  to  the  common  fupport  of  the  fociety,  fold  their  pof- 
feffions,  and  laid  down  the  prices  at  the  apoftles'  feet.  Yet 
fo  infenable  or  undefnous  were  they  of  the  advantage  which 
that  confidence  aflbrded,  that,  we  find,  they  very  foon  dif- 
pofed  of  the  truli,  by  putting  it  into  the  hands,  not  of  nomi- 
nees of  their  own,  but  of  itewards  formally  elected  for  the 
purpofe  by  the  fociety  at  large. 

We  may  add,  alfo,  that  this  excefs  of  generofity,  which  caPt 
private  property  into  the  public  ilock,  was  fo  far  from  being 
required  by  the  apoflles,  or  impofed  as  a  law  of  Chriftianity, 
that  Peter  reminds  Ananias  that  he  had  been  guilty,  in  his 
behaviour,  of  an  officious  and  voluntary  prev<:rication  ;  for 
whilft,  fays  he,  thy  eftate  rem.ained  unfold,  '♦  was  it  not  thine 
*'  own  ?  and,  after  it  was  fold,  was  it  not  in  thine  own  power  ?" 

f   Afts  vi.    12. 

The 


EVIDENCES  OF  CIIllISTIANITY.  43 

The  death  of  this  man  was  the  fignal  of  a  (general 
perfecution  j  which  rai'^ed  at  Jerulalcm  with  (o  much 
fury,  as  to  drive  moll:  *  of  the  new  converts  out  of 
the  place,  except  the  twelve  apoftles.  The  converts, 
thus  ••'  fcattered  abroad,"  preached  the  rehgioii 
wherever  they  came  ;  and  their  preaching  was,  in 
efle^l,  tlie  preaching  of  the  tzueive,  for  it  was  fo  far 
carried  on  in  concert  and  corrcfpondcnce  with  t/jcm, 
thar,  when  they  heard  of  the  fuccefs  of  their  emif- 
faries  in  a  particular  country,  they  fent  two  of  their 
number  to  the  place,  to  complete  and  confirm  the 
niiilion. 

An  event  now  took  place,  of  great  importance  in 
the  future  niltory  of  the  religion.  The  |  perfecu- 
tion which  had  begun  at  Jerufalem,  followed  the 
Chriftians  to  other  cities,  in  which  the  authority  of 
the  Jewilh  Sanhedrim  over  *hofe  of  their  own  nation 
was  allowed  to  be  exercifed.  A  young  man,  who 
had  lignalized  himfelf  by  his  hoRility  to  the  profcf- 
fk-n,  and  had  procured  a  coram iiiion  from  the  coun- 
cil at  jerufalem  to  fcizi  any  converted  Jews  whom 
he  might  find  at  Damafcu"^,  fuddenly  became  a  pro- 
felyte  to  the  religion  which  he  was  going  about  to 
extirpate.  The  new  convert  not  only  ihared,  upon 
this  extraordinary  change,  the  fate  of  his  compa- 
nions, but  brought  upon  himfelf  a  double  meafurc 
of  enmity  from  the  party  which  he  had  left.  The 
Jews  at  Damafcus,  upon  liis  return  to  that  city, 
watched  the  gates  night  and  day  with  (o  much  dili- 
gence, that  he  efcapcd  from   their   liaiida   only  by 

'*  A>5ts  viii.  I.  And  they  were  all  fcattered  abro;id  ;  but 
the  term  *'  all"  is  not,  I  think,  to  be  taken  Ihialy,  or  as  de- 
noting more  than  the  gtneiaUfy;  in  like  manner  as  in  AiSs  ix. 
35.  "  And  aH  tl-.at  dwelt  at  Lydd.i  and  iJuron  faw  him,  and 
*«  turned  to  the  Lord." 

f  Ads  ix. 

being 


4.^  A  VIEYv-  OF  THE 

being  let  down  in  a  balket  by  the  wall.  Nor  did" 
lie  find  himfelf  in  greater  fafety  at  Jerufalem,  whi- 
tber  he  immediately  repaired.  Attempts  were  there 
alfo  foon  fet  on  foot  to  dcftroy  him,  from  the  dan- 
ger of  which  he  was  prcferved  by  being  fcnt  away 
to  Cilicia,  his  native  country* 

For  fome  reafon,  not  mentioned,  perhaps  not 
known,  but  probably  connefted  with  the  civil  hiilory 
of  the  Jews,  or  with  fome  danger  *  which  engroifed 
the  public  attention,  an  intermiiTion  about  this  time 
took  place  in  the  fulFerings  of  the  Chriftians.  This 
happened,  at  the  moil  only  feven  or  eight,  perhaps 
only  three  or  four  years,  after  Chrift's  death. 
Within  which  period,  and  notv^ithilanding  that  the 
late  perfecntion  occupied  part  of  it,  churches,  or 
focieties  of  believers,  had  been  formed  in  all  Judaea, 
Galilee,  and  Samaria  ;  for  we  read  that  the  churches 
in  thefe  countries  "  had  now  reft,  and  were  edified, 
*'  and,  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the 
"  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghoft:,  were  multiplied. •]-'* 
The  original  preachers  of  the  religion  did  not  remit 
iheir  labours  or  adivity  during  this  feafon  of  quiet- 
Eefs  ;  for  wc  find  one,  and  he  a  very  principal  per- 
fon  amongft  them,  pafting  throughout  all  quarters. 
We  find  alfo  thofe,  who  had  been  before  expeiled 
from  Jerufalem  by  the  perfecution  wliich  raged 
there,  travelling  as  far  as  Phisnice,  Cyprus,  and 
Antioch  t  :  And  laftly,  we  find  Jerufalem  again  the 
centre  of  the  milTion,  the  place  whither  the  preachers 
returned  from  their  feveral  excurfions,  where  they 

*  Dr.  Lardner  (in  which  he  is  followed  alio  by  Dr.  Ben- 
fbn)  afcribes  this  ceiratiou  of  the  perfecution  of  the  Chriliians 
to  the  attempt  of  Caligula  to  fet  up  his  own  ftatue  in  the  Tem- 
ple of  je;ufalem,3nd  to  the  conftemation  thereby  excited  in  the 
ininds  of  the  Jewifn  people  ;  which  coiifternatiou  for  a  feafon 
excluded  ev^ry  other  conteft. 

f  A£ts  ix.  31.  X  ^^^^  xi'   ^^9* 

reported 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY,  45 

reported  the  conduft  and  effects  of  their  rainiflry, 
where  qiieftions  of  public  concern  were  canvaflcd 
and  fettk-d,  from  whence  directions  were  fought, 
and  teachers  fent  forth. 

The  time  of  this  tranquillity  did  not,  however, 
continue  long.  Herod  A^^rippa,  who  had  lately 
accecied  10  the  government  of  Judxa,  '•  (Iretched 
"  forth  his  hand  to  vex  certain  of  the  church  *." 
He  began  his  cruelty  by  beheading  one  of  the 
tw-elve  original  apoftles,  a  kinfman  and  conflant 
companion  of  the  founder  of  the  rcligijn.  Per- 
ceiving that  this  execution  gratified  the  Jews,  he 
proceed-e-.!  to  feize,  in  order  to  put  to  dearh,  another 
of  the  number;  and  him,  like  the  former,  alTociated 
with  Chrill  during  his  life,  and  eminently  aftive  ia 
the  fervice  fmce  his  death.  This  man  was,  how- 
ever, delivered  from  priAm,  as  the  account  ilates  |, 
miraculoufly,  and  made  his  efcape  from  Jerufalem.. 

Thcfe  things  are  related,  not  in  the  general  terms 
under  which,  in  giving  the  outlines,  of  the  hillory, 
we  have  here  mentioned  them,  but  with  the  utmoft 
particv»!arity  of  names,  perfons,  places,  and  circum- 
Ilances ;  and,  v/hat  is  deferving  of  notice,  without 
the  fmalleil;  difcoverable  propenfity  in  the  hiftorian 
to  m.ignify  the  fortitude,  or  exaggerate  the  fuirer- 
ings,  of  his  party.  When  they  fled  for  their  lives, 
he  tells  us.  When  the  churches  had  relt,  he  re- 
marks it.  When  the  people  took  their  part,  he 
•does  not  leave  it  without  notice.  When  the  apoftles 
were  carried  a  fecond  time  before  the  Sanhedrim, 
he  is  careful  to  obferve  thvit  they  were  brought 
without  violence.  When  milder  councils  were  fus;- 
gefted,  he  gives  us  the  author  of  the  advice,  and 
the  fpeech  which  contaiiird  it.  When,  in  confc- 
quencc  of  this  advice,  the  rulers  contented  them- 

*   A&s  xli.   I.  +   AGs  xli.   3—17. 

felves 


46  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

felvcs  with  threatening  the  apoftles,  and  command- 
ing them  to  be  beaten  with  ftripes,  without  ur  ling 
at  that  time  the  perfecution  farther,  the  hiftorian 
candidly  and  dillindly  records  their  forbearance* 
When,  therefore,  in  other  inftances,  he  ftates 
heavier  perfeciitions,  or  aftual  martyrdoms,  it  is 
reafonable  to  believe  that  he  flares  them  becaufe 
they  were  true  ;  and  not  from  any  wifli  to  ai^gra- 
vate,  in  his  account,  the  fuTerings  which  Chriftians 
fuftained,  or  to  extol,  more  than  it  deferved,  their 
patience  under  them. 

Our  hiflory  novv^  purfues  a  narrower  path.  Leav- 
ing the  refl  of  the  apoftles,  and  the  oricinal  aflbciates 
cf  Chrifl,  engaged  in  the  propagation  of  a  new 
faith,  (and  who,  there  is  not  the  leaft  reafon  to  be- 
lieve, abated  in  their  diligence  or  courage)  the  nar- 
rative proceeds  with  the  feparate  memoirs  of  that 
eminent  teacher,  whofe  extraordinary  and  fudden 
converfion  to  the  religion,  and  corrcfponding  change 
of  condufts  had  before  been  circumflantially  de-^ 
fcribed.  This  perfon,  in  conjunflion  with  another, 
who  appeared  amongfl  the  earlied  members  <^f  the 
fociety  at  Jerufalem,  and  amongll  the  immediate  ad- 
herents *  of  the  twelve  apoftles,  fct  out  from  An- 
tioch  upon  the  exprefs  bufmefs  of  carrying  the  new 
religion  through  the  various  provinces  of  the  leffer 
Afiaf.  During  this  expedition  we  find,  that,  in  al- 
raofl  every  place  to  which  they  came,  their  perfons 
were  infulted,  and  their  lives  endangered.  After 
being  expelled  from  Antioch  in  Pifidia,  they  repaired 
to  Iconium  J.  At  Iconium  an  attempt  was  made 
to  flone  them.  At  Lyflra,  whither  they  fled  from 
Iconium,  one  of  them  aftually  was  fconed,  and 
drawn  out  of  the  city  for  dead  §.     Thefe  two  men^ 


*  Ads  Jv.  3^. 

-f-  Ads  xiii.   2. 

:J:   Ibid.  xiii.  50. 

§   Ibid,  xiv.  5. 

though 

EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ^y 

though  not  thcmfclves  original  apoftles,  were  aflinjr 
ill  connection  and  conjunction  with  the  original  apof- 
tles  j  for,  after  the  completion  of  their  journey, 
btin^  fcnt  upon  a  particular  commillion  ro  Jerusa- 
lem, they  there  related  to  the  apoftles  *  and  elders, 
the  events  and  fuccefs  of  their  miniftry,  and  were, 
in  return,  recommended  by  them  to  the  churches, 
"  as  men  who  had  haziirded  their  lives  iii  the 
"  caufe." 

The  treatment  which  they  had  experienced  in 
their  firft  progrtfs  did  not  deter  them  from  prepar- 
ing for  a  fecond.  Upon  a  difpute,  however,  arifmg 
between  tliem,  but  not  connected  with  the  common 
fubjeCl  of  their  labours,  they  afted  as  wife  and  fin- 
cere  men  would  aCl ;  they  did  not  retire  in  difgnft 
from  the  fervice  in  v/hich  they  were  engaged,  but, 
each  devoting  his  endeavours  to  the  advancement  of 
the  religion,  they  parted  from  one  another,  and  (ct 
forwards  upon  feparate  routes.  The  hillory  goes 
along  with  one  of  them  ;  and  ihe.fccond  enrerprifc 
to  him  was  attended  with  the  fame  dangers  and  per- 
fections as  both  hiid  met  with  in  the  firft.  The 
apoille's  travels  hitherto  had  been  confined  to  Afia. 
He  now  crofles,  for  the  £riT:  time,  the  ^gean  Sea, 
and  carries  v*iih  him,  amongft  others,  the  perfon 
whofe  accounts  fupply  the  information  we  are  ftat- 
ing  ^.  The  firft  place  in  Greece  at  which  he  ap- 
pears to  have  flopped  was  Phiiippi  in  Macedonia. 
Here  him.fclf  and  one  of  his  companions  were  cruelly 
whipped,  caft  into  prifon,  and  kept  there  under  the 
molt  rigorous  cuftody,  being  thruft,  whilft  yet  fmart- 
ing  with  their  wounds,  into  the  inner  dungeon,  and 
their  feet  made  faft  in  tlie  ftocks  J.  NoiVvMthftand- 
rng  tliis  unequivocal  fpecimen  of  the  ufage  they  had 
to  look  for  in  that  country,  they  went  forward  ia 

*  A&i  XV.  n — 26.  f  A<5is  xvj,  ii,  i  V.  23,  24,  73, 

the 


43  A  t^IEVf  OF  THS 

the  execution  of  their  errand.  After  pafling  througli 
Amphipolis,  and  Appollonia,  ihey  came  to  TheiTa- 
lonica  ;  in  which  city  the  houfe  in  which  they  L'idged 
w.is  afiailed  by  a  parry  of  their  enemies,  in  order  to 
bring  them  out  to  the  populace.  And  when,  for* 
tunately  for  their  prefcrvatiou,  they  were  not  found 
at  home,  the  mailer  of  the  houfe  was  drac^c^ed  be- 
fore  the  magiflrate  for  admitting  them  within  his 
doors  *.  Their  reception  at  the  next  city  was  fome- 
thing  better :  but  neither  here  had  they  continued 
long  before  their  turbulent  adverfaries,  the  Jews, 
excited  as^ainft  thcra  fuch  commotions  amonCTft  the 
inhabitants,  as  obliged  the  apoftle  to  m-.>ke  his  cfcape 
by  a  private  journey  to  Athens  -f.  The  extremity 
of  the  progrefs  was  Corinth.  His  abode  in  this 
city,  for  fom.e  time,  fecras  to  have  been  without  mo- 
legation.  At  length,  however,  the  Jews  found 
means  to  flir  up  an  infuVrc(5i:ion  againll:  him,  and  to 
bring  him  before  the  tribunal  of  the  Roman  prefi- 
dent  |.  It  was  to  the  contempt  which  that  raagidrate 
entertained  for  the  Jews  and  their  controverfies,  of 
which  he  accounted  Chridianity  to  be, one,  that  our 
apoftle  owed  his  deliverance  §. 

This  indefatigable  teacher,  after  leaving  Corinth, 
returned  by  Ephefus  into  Syria  ;  and  again  vifited 
Jerufalem,  and  the  focicty  of  Chridians  in  that  city, 
U^hich,  as  hath  been  repeatedly  obfervedy  -.^l  con- 
tinued the  centre  of  the  mifTion  jj.  It  furreti^'not, 
however,  with  the  aftivity  of  his  zeal  to  remain  at 
Jerufalem.  We  find  him  going  from  thence  to  An- 
tioch,  and,  after  fome  fray  there,  traverfmg  once 
more  the  northern  provinces  of  Afia  Minor^.  This 
progrefs  ended  at  Ephefus  ;  in  which  city  the  apo- 
fllc  continued  in  the  daily  exercife  of  his  rainiifry 

*  Acts  y.vu.  I — 5.      f  Ibid.  v.  15.  j:  Ibid,  xviii.  12. 

,   §  Ibid,  xviii,  15.'         j]  Ibid,  xviii.  22.      ^  Ibid.  v.  23. 

4  two 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  49 

two  years,  and  until  bis  fuccefs,  at  length,  excited 
the  apprehenfions  of  thofe  who  were  intereftcd  in 
the  fupport  of  the  national  worfliip.  Their  clamour 
produced  a  tuinulr,  in  which  he  had  nearly  loft  his 
liFe*.  UndifniLiyed,  however,  by  the  dangers  to 
which  he  faw  hiiufclf  expofed,  he  was  driven  from 
Ephefas  only  to  renew  his  labours  in  Greece  |. 
After  paffing  over  Macedonia,  he  thence  proceeded 
to  his  former  flation  at  Corinth  +.  When  he  had 
formed  his  defign  of  returning  by  a  d'lrcS.  courfe 
from  Corinih  mto  Syria,  he  was  compelled  by  a 
confpiracy  of  the  Jews,  who  were  prepared  to  inter- 
cept him  on  his  way,  to  trace  back  hi>  lleps  through 
Macedonia  to  Philippi,  and  from  thence  to  take 
fliipping  into  Afra.  Along  the  coaft  of  Afia  he  pur- 
fued  his  voyage  with  all  the  expedition  he  could 
comman.l,  in  order  to  reach  Jerufalem  againfl  the 
feaft  of  Pentect)!!:  §.  His  reception  at  Jerufalem 
was  of  a  piece  with  the  ufitge  he  had  experienced 
from  the  Jews  in  other  places.  He  had  been  only 
a  few  .iavs  in  that  city  when  the  populace,  inftigared 
by  fume  of  his  old  opponents  in  Afia  who  attended 
this  feail:,  feized  him  in  the  temple,  forced  him  out 
of  it,  and  were  re.idy  immediately  to  have  dellroyed 
him,  had  not  the  fudJen  prefence  of  the  Roman 
guard  refcued  him  out  of  their  hands  ||.  The  offi- 
cer, however,  who  had  thus  feafona'^ly  interpofed, 
afted  from  his  care  of  the  public  peace,  with  the 
prefervation  of  vv'hich  he  was  charged,  and  not  from 
any  favour  to  the  apoftie,  or  indeed  any  difpofiiion 
to  exercife  eirher  juftice  or  humanity  towards  him  ; 
for  he  had  no  fooner  fecured  his  perfon  in  the  for- 
tref^,  than  he  was  proceeding  to  examine  him  by 
torture  ^. 

*  Ads  xix.  I,  9,  10.     t  Ibid  xix.  r^Q,  31.        %  Ibid  xix.  i. 

§  Ibid  xix.  16.  i|  Ibid  xxi  27 — 33.     fibidxxii.  12.24. 

E  Fro  a 


so  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

From  this  time  to  the  conchifion  of  the  hiftory 
the  apoflle  remains  in  public  cuftody  of  the  Roman 
government.  After  efcaping  aflaflination  by  a  for- 
tunate difcovery  of  the  plot,  and  delivering  himfelf 
from  the  influence  of  his  enemies  by  an  appeal  to  the 
audience  of  the  emperor*,  he  wa%  fent,  but  not  until 
he  had  fuifered  two  years  imprifonment,  to  Romef. 
He  reached  Italy  after  a  tedious  voyage,  and  after 
encountering  in  his  pafTage  the  perils  of  a  defperatc 
fliipwreckj.  But  although  ftill  a  prifoner,  and  his 
fate  ftill  depending,  neither  the  various  and  long- 
continued  fufFerings  which  he  had  undergone,  nor 
the  danger  of  his  prefent  fituation,  deterred  him 
from  perfifting  in  preaching  the  religion  ;  for  the 
hiftorian  clofes  the  account  by  telling  us,  that,  for 
two  years,  he  received  all  that  came  unto  him  in  his 
own  hired  houfe,  where  he  was  permitted  to  dwell 
with  a  foldier  that  guarded  him,  "  preaching  the 
*^'  kingdom  of  God,'  and  teaching  rhofe  things 
'*  which  concern  the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  with  all 
"  confidence." 

Now  the  hiftorian,  from  whom  we  have  drawn 
this  account,  in  the  part  of  his  narrative  which  re- 
lates to  St.  Paul,  is  fupported  by  the  ftrongeft  corro- 
borating teftimony  that  a  hiftory  can  receive.  We 
are  in  pofTelTion  of  letters  written  by  St.  Paul  himfelf 
upon  the  fubjefi:  of  his  miniftry,  and  either  written 
during  the  period  which  the  hiftory  comprifes,  or, 
if  written  afterwards,  reciting  and  referring  to  the 
tranfaftions  of  that  period.  Thefe  letters,  without 
borrowing  from  the  hiftory,  or  the  hiftory  from 
them,  unintentionally  confirm  the  account  which  the 
hiftory  delivers  in  a  great  variety  of  particulars. 
What  belongs  to  our  prefent  purpofe  is  the  defcrip- 
tion  exhibited  of  the  apoftle's  fufferings :  and  the  re- 

*  Aits  XXV.  9,  II.  f   Ibid  xxiv.  27  J   Ibid  xvii. 

prcfentatioHj 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  51 

prefentntion,  givrn  in  the  hiftory,  of  the  dangers 
and  dirtreffcs  w  hi^h  he  undt-rwcnt,  not  only  agrees, 
in  general,  with  the  ianp;uaq;e  which  he  himfch  ufcs, 
whenever  he  fpeaks  of  his  hte  or  minilfry,  but  is 
alfo,  in  many  inftances,  atteftcd  by  a  fpecific  corre- 
fpondency  of  time,  place,  and  order  of  events.  If 
the  hillorian  relates  that  at  Philippi  the  apoftle 
•'  was  beaten  with  many  ftripes,  caft  into  prifon,  and 
*'  there  treated  with  rigor  and  indignity*,"  we  fmd 
him,  in  a  Icrterf  to  a  neighbouring  church,  remind- 
ing his  converts,  tliat,  "  after  he  had  fuff  red 
*'  before,  and  was  fliamefully  intreatcd  at  Philippi, 
'*  he  was  bold,  nevenhelefs,  to  fpeak  unto  them  (to 
*'  wliofe  city  he  next  came)  the  Gofpel  of  God.'* 
If  the  hiftory  relate  J,  that,  at  ThcfTalonica,  the 
houfe  in  which  the  apoftle  was  lodged,  when  he  fird 
carae  to  that  place,  was  aiTaulted  by  the  populace, 
and  the  mall'er  of  it  dragged  before  the  magiftrate 
for  admitting  fuch  a  gueft  within  his  doors,  the  apo- 
ftle,  in  his  letters  §  to  the  Chriftians  of  TheiTalonica, 
calls  to  tiieir  remembrance  '*  how  they  had  received 
*'  the  Gofpel  in  much  aflli^ion.'*  If  the  hiftory  de- 
liver an  account  of  vin  infurre^lion  at  Ephefus,  which 
had  nearly  cofl  the  apoflle  his  life,  wc  have  the 
apofiie  himfelf,  in  a  letter  written  a  fhort  time  after 
his  departure  from  that  city,  defrribing  his  defpair, 
and  returning  thanks  for  his  deliverance  ||.  If  the 
hiftory  inform  us,  that  the  apo'lle  was  expelled  from 
Antioch  in  Pifidia,  attempted  to  be  ftoned  at  Iconium, 
and  a£lually  ftoncd  at  Lyftra,  there  is  preferved  a 
letter  from  him  to  a  favourite  convert,  whom,  as  the 
fame  hillory  tells  us,  he  firft  met  with  in  thefe  p  irts ; 
in  which  letter  he  appeals  to  that  difcipl  's  know- 
ledge "  of  the  perfecutions  which  befel  him  at  An-* 

*   A(fts  xvi.  24,         f    I  ThefT.  11.  2  :j:  Al^s  xvll.  57. 

§   I  Their.  I.  6.         II  Aas  xlx.     2  Cor.  j.  8,  y. 

E   2  "  liochj 


^2  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

"  tioch,  at  Iconium,  at  Lyftra*."  If  the  hiilory 
make  the  apoftle,  in  his  fpecch  to  the  Ephefian  el- 
ders, remind  them,  as  one  proof  of  the  difmrereft- 
ednefs  of  his  views,  that,  to  their  knowledge,  he 
had  fupplied  his  own  and  the  neceffities  of  his  com- 
panions by  perfonal  labour  |,  we  find  the  fame  apo- 
flle,  in  a  letter  written  during  his  refidence  at  Ephe- 
fus,  aiTtrting  of  himlelf,  "  that  even  to  that  hour  he 
"  laboured,  working  with  his  own  hands  J.'* 

Thcfe  coincidences,  together  v/ith  many  relative 
to  other  parts  of  the  apoftle's  hiftory,  and  all  drawn 
from  independent  fources,  not  only  confirm  the  truth 
of  the  account,  in  the  particular  points  as  to  which 
they  are  obferved,  but  add  much  to  the  credit  of  the 
narrative  in  all  its  parts ;  and  fupport  the  author's 
profeflion  of  being  a  contemporary  of  the  perfon 
wh  )fe  hiftory  he  writes,  and,  throughout  a  material 
portion  of  his  narrative,  a  companion. 

What  the  epiflles  of  the  apoltles  declare  of  the 
fuffering  ftate  of  Chrifhianity,  the  writings  which 
rem.ain  of  their  companions,  and  immediate  follow- 
ers, exprefsly  confirm. 

Clement,  who  is  honourably  m>entioned  by  St.  Paul 
in  his  Epiftle  to  the  Philippians§,  hath  left  us  his 
atteflation  to  this  point  in  the  following  words : 
"  Let  us  take  (fays  he)  the  examples  of  our  own 
"  age.  Through  zeal  and  envy  the  mofl  faithful  ■ 
*'  and  righteous  pillars  of  the  church  have  been  per- 
*'  fecuted  even  to  the  moft  grievous  deaths.  Let  us 
*'  fet  before  our  eyes  ihs  holy  apojlles.  Peter,  by 
*'  unjufl:  envy,  underwent,  not  one  or  two,  but  many 
"  fufferings ;  till  at  lad,  being  martyred,  he  went 
*'  to  the  place  of  glory  that  was  due  unto  him.  For 
"  the  fame  caufe  did  Paul,  in  like  manner,  receive 

*   Acls  xiil.  50 xix.  5,  19.      2   Tim.  iii.  10,  IT. 

t  hSi%  XX.  34.         X   1  Cor.  iv.  II,  12.         §  Adis  iv.  3. 

«  the 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  3:3 

"  the  reward  of  his  patience.  Seven  times  he  was 
"  in  bonds  ;  he  was  whipped,  was  (toned ;  he 
"  preached  both  in  the  eaft  and  in  the  weft  ;  leaving 
"  behind  him  the  glorious  report  of  his  faith:  and 
"  fo  having  taught  the  whole  world  righteoufncfs, 
"  and  for  that  end  travelled  even  unto  the  utmofl 
*'  bounds  of  the  weft:,  he  at  laft  fufFcrcd  martyrdom 
"  by  the  command  of  the  governors,  and  departed 
"  out  of  the  world,  and  went  unto  his  holy  place, 
"  being  become  a  moft  eminent  pattern  of  patience 
"  unto  all  ages.  To  thefe  holy  apoftles  were  joined 
"  a  very  great  number  of  others,  who,  having 
"  through  envy  undergone,  in  like  manner,  many 
"  pains  and  torments,  have  left  a  glorious  example 
"  to  us.  For  this,  not  only  men,  but  women,  have 
"  been  perfecuted;  and  having  fuff.red  very  grievous 
"  and  cruel  puniiliments,  have  finiilicd  the  courfe  of 
*'  their  faith  with  firmnefs*." 

Hermas,  fiilutcd  by  St  Paul  in  his  Epiftle  to  the 
Romans,  in  a  piece  very  little  connecSled  with  hifto- 
rical  recitals,  thus  fpeaks — "  Such  as  have  believed 
*'  and  fuffercd  death  for  the  name  of  Chrift,  and 
"  have  endured  with  a  ready  mind,  and  have  given 
"  up  their  lives  with  all  their  hearts  }-." 

Polycarp,  tlie  difciple  of  John,  thonoh  all  that 
remains  of  his  works  be  a  very  ftiort  epiftle,  has  nor 
left  this  fubje^l  unnoticed.  "  I  exhort  (fays  he)  all 
"  of  you,  that  ye  obey  the  word  of  ri'^hteoufnefs, 
"  and  exercife  all  patience,  which  ye  have  fecn  fct 
"  forth  before  your  eyes,  not  only  in  the  bleiTed 
*'  Ignatius,  and  Lorimus  and  Rufus,  but  in  others 
*'  among  yourfelves,  and  in  Paul  himfclf  and  ihs  rejl 
"  of  the  apojlles  ;  being  confident  in  this,  that  all 
'<  thefe  have  not  run  in  vain,  but  in  faith  and  righ- 

*  Clem,  ac  Cnr.  c.  v.  vi.  A.  D.  \V>ikc's  tranf. 
f  Shepherd  of  Herm.is,  c.  xxviii. 

E  3  *'  leoufncfs  j 


54  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

^'  teoufnefs ;  and  are  gone  to  the  place  that  was  due 
-^'  to  them  from  the  Lord,  with  whom  alfo  they  fuf- 
"  fered.  For  they  loved  not  this  prtfent  world, 
*'  but  him  who  died  and  was  raifed  again  by  God 
«  for  us*." 

Ignatius,  the  contemporary  of  Po'ycarp,  recog^- 
nizes  the  fame  topic,  briefly  indeed,  but  pofitively 
and  precifely.  "  For  this  caufe  (/.  e.  for  having  felt 
"  and  handled  Chrift^s  body  after  his  refurreftion, 
."  and  beinsj  convinced,  as  Ignatius  expreffes  it,  both 
.*'  by  his  fiefli  and  fpirit),  they  (/.  e.  Peter,  and  thofe 
..*'  v/ho  were  prefent  with  Peter  at  Chrift^s  appear- 
-*'  ance)  defpifed  death,  and  were  found  to  be  above 
«  h  f." 

Would  the  reader  know  what  a  pei-fecution  in 
rthefe  days  was,  I  would  refer  him  to  a  circular  letter, 
written  by  the  church  of  Smyrna  foon  after  the  death 
of  Polycarp,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  lived 
with  St.  John  ;  and  which  letter  is  entitled  a  relation 
of  that  bifhop's  martyrdom.  "  The  fufferings  (fay 
"  they)  of  all  the  other  martyrs  were  blelTcd  and 
*'  generous,  which  they  underwent  according  to  the 
"  will  of  God.  For  fo  it  becomes  us,  who  are  more 
^'  religious  than  others,  to  afcribe  the  power  and 
.^^  ordering  of  all  things  unto  him.  And  indeed  who 
.^*  can  choofe  but  admire  the  greatnefs  of  their  minds, 
*'  and  that  admirable  patience  and  love  of  their  maf- 
"  ter,  which  then  appeared  in  them  ?  who,  when 
.*'  they  were  fo  fleaed  with  whippmg,  that  the  frame 
^'  and  ftrufture  of  their  bodies  were  laid  open  to 
*'  their  very  inward  veins  and  arteries,  neverthelcfs 
^'  endured  ir.  In  like  manner,  thofe  who  were  con^- 
*'  demned  to  the  beafts,  and  kept  a  long  time  in  pri- 
^'  fon,  underwent  many  cruel  torments,  being  forced 

v  |*oJ.  ad  Phil.  c.  ix.  j-  19.  Ep.  Smyr.  c.  iii. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  S5 

«*  to  lie  upon  fliarp  fpikes  laid  under  their  bodies, 
*'  and  tormented  with  divers  other  forts  of  punifli- 
"  ments  ;  that  fo,  if  it  were  poflible,  the  tynint,  by 
"  the  length  of  their  fufferings,  might  have  brought 
"  them  to  deny  Chrifl:*.'* 


CHAP.    V. 


There  is  fatisfadory  evidaicc,  that  ?nany  profejfing  to 
be  original  ivitneffes  of  the  Chrijiian  miracles^ 
pa/fed  their  lives  in  labours^  dangers,  and  fuffer- 
ings, voluntarily  undergone  in  atteftation  of  the  ac- 
counts -which  they  delivered,  and  folely  in  confe- 
quence  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thofe  accounts  ; 
and  that  they  alfo  fubmitted  from  the  fame  motives  io 
new  rules  of  condu6l. 

Upon  the  hiftory,  of  which  the  laft 
chapter  contains  an  abftraft,  there  are  a  few  obfer- 
vations  which  it  may  be  proper  to  make,  by  way  of 
applying  its  teftimony  to  the  particular  propofitions 
for  which  we  contend. 

I.  Although  our  fcripture  hiftory  leaves  the 
general  account  of  the  apoftles  in  an  early  part  of 
the  narrative,  and  proceeds  with  the  feparate  ac- 
count of  one  particular  apoftle,  yet  the  information 
which  it  delivers  (o  far  extends  to  the  reft,  as  it 
fliows  the  nature  of  the  fervice.  When  we  fee  one 
apollle  fulTcring  perfecuiion  in  the  difcharge  of  his 
commiiTion,  wc  fliall  not  believe,  wirhout  evidence, 
that  the  fame  office  could,  at  the  fame  time,  be  at- 

*  Rel.  Mor.  Pol.  c.  li. 

JL  4  tended 


$6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

tended  with  cafe  and  fiifety  to  othrrs.  And  this  fair 
and  reafonable  inference  is  confirmed  by  the  dir.  ft 
atteilation  of  the  letters,  to  which  we  h^wc  fo  often 
referred.  The  writer  of  thefe  iet'.ers  not  only 
alludes,  in  numerous  paffages,  to  his  own  fuiferings, 
but  fpeaks  of  the  reft  of  the  apoftles  as  endurin.<  like 
fufferings  with  himfclf.  "  I  think  that  God  haih 
"  fet  forth  us  the  apojiles  laft,  as  it  were  appointed 
"  to  death;  for  we  are  made  a  fpeftacle  unto  the 
*'  world,  and  to  angels,  and  to  men — even  unto  this 
*'  prefent  hour,  we  both  hunger  and  thirft,  and  are 
*'  naked,  and  are  buifetted,  and  have  no  certain. 
*'  dwelling-place,  and  labour,  working  with  our 
"  own  hands:  being  reviled,  we  blefs;  being  perfe- 
'^^  cuted,  we  futfcr  it;  being  defamed,  we  entreat:  we 
"  are  made  as  the  filth  of  the  v/orld,  and  ;^s  the  off- 
"  fcouring  of  all  things  unto  this  day  *."  Add  to 
which,  that  in  the  fliort  account  that  is  given  of  the 
other  apoftles,  in  the  former  part  of  the  hiflory,  and 
within  the  Ihort  period  which  that  account  cora- 
prifes,  we  find,  firil,  two  of  them  feized,  imprifoned, 
brought  before  the  Sanhedrim,  and  threatened  with 
further  punidiment -[-;  then,  the  whole  number,  im- 
prifoned and  beaten  I :  foon  afterwards,  one  of  their 
adherents  floned  to  death,  and  fo  hot  a  perfecution 
raifed  again.d  the  feft,  as  to  drive  mofl  of  them  out 
of  the  place;  a  fhort  time  only  fucceeding,  before 
one  of  the  twelve  was  beheaded,  and  another  fen- 
tenced  to  the  fame  fate;  and  all  this  pafling  in  the 
lingle  city  of  Jerufalem,  and  within  ten  years  after 
the  founder*s  death,  and  the  commencement  of  the 
inflitution. 

II.  Secondly;  We  take  no  credit  at  prefent  for 
the  miraculous  part  of  the  narrative,  nor  do  we  infift 
upon  the  correftnefs  of  fmgle  palTages  of  it.     If  the 

'#  I  Cor.  iv.  et.feq,       f  Afts  iv*  3,  2 j.      %  Ibid  v,  1 8,  40. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  57 

whole  (lory  be  nor  a  novel,  a  romance;  the  whole 
anion  vi  dream;  if  Pf tcr,  and  James,  and  Paul,  and 
the  rrft  of  the  apoftlcs,  mentioned  in  the  account,  be 
not  all  imaginary  perfons;  if  their  letters  be  not  all 
lort^cries;  and,  what  is  more,  forgeries  of  names 
and  charaftcrs  which  never  exifted;  then  is  there 
evidence  in  our  hands  fufficicnt  to  fupport  the  only 
faft  we  contend  for  (and  which,  I  repeat  again,  is, 
in  itfelf,  hiiihly  probable),  that  the  original  follov/ers 
of  jefus  Chrill  exerted  great  endeavours  to  propa- 
gate his  religion,  and  underwent  great  labours, 
dani^ers,  and  fulTerlngs,  in  confequence  of  their  un- 
dertaking. 

III.  The  general  reality  of  the  apoftolic  hidory  is 
fl:ront:;ly  confirmed  by  the  confideraiion,  that  it,  in 
truth,  does  no  more  than  affi;',n  adequate  caufcs  for 
efFe£ti  which  cert  linly  were  produced,  and  defcribe 
confequences  naturally  refulting  from  fituations 
which  certainly  exifted.  The  effects  were  certainly 
there,  of  which  this  hiftory  fets  forth  the  caufe,  and 
origin,  and  progrefs.  It  is  acknowledged  on  all 
h  mds,  bec.mfe  it  is  recorded  by  other  teftimony  than 
that  of  the  Chriftians  themfelves,  that  the  religion 
began  to  pr-^vail  at  that  time,  and  in  that  country. 
It  is  very  difficult  to  conceive  how  it  could  begin, 
or  prevail  at  all,  without  the  exertions  of  the 
founder  and  his  followers  in  propagating  the  ne\y 
perfnafion.  The  hiftory  now  in  our  hands  dcfcribes 
thefe  exertions,  the  perfons  employed,  the  means 
and  endeavours  made  ufe  of,  and  the  labours  under- 
taken in  the  profecution  of  this  purpofe.  Again, 
the  treatment  which  the  hiftory  dcfcribes  the  firll 
propagators  of  the  religion  to  have  experienced,  was 
no  other  than  what  naturally  refulted  from  the  iku- 
ation  in  which  they  were  confciTtdiy  placed.  It  is 
admitted  that  the  religion  was  adverfe,  in  a  great 
Clcgrce,  to  the  reigning  opinions,  and  to  the  hopes 

and 


«5  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

and  wiflies  of  the  nation  to  which  it  was  firfl  intro- 
duced; and  that  it  overthrew,  (o  far  as  it  was 
received,  the  eflabliflied  theology  and  worfliip  of 
every  other  country.  We  cannot  feel  much  reluc- 
tance in  believing  that,  when  the  meiTrng^rrs  of  fuch 
a  fyftem  went  about  not  only  publifliing  their 
opinions,  but  colle^ing  profelytes,  and  forming  re- 
gular focieties  of  profelytes,  they  iliould  meet  with 
oppofition  in  their  attempts,  or  that  this  oppofition 
fliould  fomctimes  proceed  to  fatal  extremities.  Our 
hiflory  details  examples  of  this  oppofition,  and  of 
the  fufferings  and  dangers  which  the  cmiiTaries  of 
the  religion  underwent,  perfectly  agreeable  lo  what 
might  reafonably  be  expefted,  from  the  nature  of 
their  undertaking,  compared  with  the  charadler  of 
the  age  and  country  in  which  it  was  carried  on. 

IV.  Fourthly;  The  records  before  us  fupply  evi- 
dence of  what  formed  another  member  of  our 
general  propofition,  and  what,  as  hath  already  been 
obferved,  is  highly  probable,  and  almofl  a  neceffary 
confequence  of  their  new  profelTion,  viz.  that, 
together  with  activity  and  courage  in  propagating 
the  religion,  the  primitive  followers  of  Jefus  aiTumed 
upon  their  converfion,  a  new  and  peculiar  courfe  of 
private  life.  Immediately  after  their  mafter  was 
withdrawn  from  them,  we  hear  of  their  "  continuing 
*'  with  one  accord  in  prayer  and  fupplitation*,"  of 
their  "  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in  the 
*'  teraplef,"  of  "■  many  being  gathered  together 
*'  praying  |.'*  We  know  what  drift  injunftions 
were  laid  upon  the  converts  by  their  teachers: 
wherever  they  came,  the  firft  word  of  their  preach- 
ing was  "  repent.'*  We  know  that  thefe  injunftions 
obliged  them  to  refrain  from  many  fpecies  of  licen- 
tjoufnefs,  which  were  not,  at  that  time,  reputed  cri- 

*  A6ts  i.  14.  Ibid  ii.  46         Ibid  xii.  12. 

miaal. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  59 

minal.  Wc  know  the  rules  of  purity,  and  the 
maxims  of  benevolence,  which  Chriftians  read  in 
their  books;  concerning  which  rules,  it  is  enoup^h  to 
obfcrve,  that,  if  they  were,  I  will  not  fay,  completely- 
obeyed,  but  in  any  degree  regarded,  they  would 
produce  a  fyfteni  of  condufl:,  and  what  is  more  diffi- 
cult to  prtferve,  a  difpofition  of  mind,  and  a  regula- 
tion of  affe^ions,  different  from  any  thing  to  which 
they  had  hitherto  been  accuflomed,  and  different 
from  what  they  would  fee  in  others.  The  change 
and  difl:in£lion  of  manners,  which  refulted  from  their 
new  chara<rter,  is  perpetually  referred  to  in  the 
letters  of  their  teachers.  "  And  you  h  ith  he  quick- 
'"  ened,  who  ic^cre  dead  in  trefpaffes  and  llns, 
-"  wherein  in  times  pafl  ye  walked,  according  to  the 
*'  courfe  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of 
*'  the  power  of  the  air,  the  fpirit  that  now  worketh 
*'  in  the  children  of  difobedience;  among  whom 
*'  alfo  we  all  had  our  converfation  in  times  pad,  in 
**  the  lufts  of  our  flefli,  fulfilling  the  defires  of  the 
f'  flefli,  and  of  the  mind,  and  were  by  nature  the  chil- 
*'  dren  of  wrath  even  as  others.*'*-"  For  \\\tlime pajl 
*'  of  our  life  may  fufiice  us  to  have  wrought  the  will 
^'  of  the  Gentiles,  when  we  walked  in  lafcivioufnefs, 
*'  luft,  excefs  of  wine,  revellings,  banquetings,  and 
^*  abominable  idolatries,  ivherein  they  think  itjirange 
^'  that  ye  run  not  with  them  to  the  fame  exccfs  of 
*'  riot\.'*  St.  Paul,  in  his  firft  letter  to  the  Corin- 
thians, after  enumerating,  as  his  manner  was,  a 
catalogue  of  vicious  characters,  adds,- — "  Such 
"  were  fome  of  yoti,  but  ye  are  waflied,  but  ye 
**  are  fan£lified];."  In  like  manner,  and  alluding 
to  the  fame  change  of  practices  and  fentimcnt,  he 
alts  the  Roman  Chriflians  "  what  fruit  they  had  ia 

^  ^ph.  ii.    1—3.  fee  alfo  Tit.  lii.  3.     f  1   Pet.  iv.  3,  4. 
:{:  I  Cor.  vi.  ii> 


€e  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

*' thofe  things  "whereof  they  are  jiozu  aiharned|?" 
The  phrafes  which  the  fame  writer  employs  to 
d'efcribe  the  moral  condition  of  Chriftians,  com- 
pared with  their  condition  before  they  became 
Chriftians,  fuch  as  "  newn^fs  of  life,"  being  "  freed 
'^  from  fin,"  being  "  dead  to  fm,"  "  the  dcflruc- 
"  tion  of  the  body  of  fm,  that,  for  the  future,  they 
"  fliould  not  ferve  fin;"  "  children  of  light  and  of 
"  the  day,"  as  oppofed  to  '*  children  of  darknefs 
"  and  of  night,"  "  not  lleeping  as  others,"  imply, 
at  leaft,  a  new  fyftem  of  obligation,  and,  probably, 
a  new  feries  of  condu6>,  commencing  with  their 
converfion. 

The  teflimony  which  Pliny  bears  to  the  behaviour 
of  the  new  fe£l:  in  his  time,  and  which  teflimony 
€0^mes  not  more  than  fifty  years  after  that  of  St, 
Paul,  is  very  applicable  to  the  fnbjeft  under  confide- 
radon.  The  chara61er  which  this  writer  gives  of  the 
Chriftians  of  that  age,  and  which  v/as  drawn  from  a 
pretty  accurate  enquiry,  becaufe  he  confidered  their 
moral  principles  as  the  point  in  which  the  magiftrate 
was  interefted,  is  as  follows: — He  tells  the  emperor, 
"■  that  forae  of  thofe  who  had  relinquiflied  the  fociety, 
"  or  who,  to  fave  themfelves,  pretended  that  they 
"  had  relinquiflied  it,  afErmed  that  they  were  wont 
*'  to  meet  together,  on  a  dated  day,  before  it  waS 
"  light,  and  (mg  among  themfelves  alternately  a 
"  hymn  to  Chrifl  as  a  God;  and  to  bind  themfelves, 
"  by  an  oath,  not  to  the  commiiTion  of  any  wicked- 
"  nefs,  but  that  they  would  not  be  guilty  of  theft  or 
''  robbery,  or  adultery:  that  they  would  never  fal- 
"  fify  their  word,  nor  deny  a  pledge  committed  to 
''  them,  when  called  upon  to  return  it."  This 
proves  that  a  morality,  more  pure  and  drift  than 
was  ordinary,  prevailed  at  that  time  in  Chriuian  fo^ 

*  Rom.  vl.  2|» 

cieties. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRIS'HANITY.  6i 

cicties.  And  to  me  it  appears,  tliat  we  are  auiho- 
rilcd  to  carry  this  teilunony  back  to  the  age  of  the 
apodles,  becaul'c  it  is  not  probable  that  the  imrnc- 
diaie  hearers  and  difupics  of  Chrill  were  more 
rehixed  than  their  fucccflors  in  Pliny's  time,  or  the 
millionarics  of  the  religion  than  ihofe  whom  they 


taui^ht. 


CHAP.    VI. 

There  is  fatisfaSory  evidence  that  many^  P''^fi/P^Z  ^* 
have  been  original  luitncffes  of  the  Chriftian 
Miracles,  paffed  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers  and 
fujfcrings,  vGliintarily  undergone  in  attejlation  of 
the  accounts  ivhich  they  delivered,  and  folch  in 
confequcnce  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thofe  ac^ 
counts;  and  that  they  alfo  fubmittcd  from  the  fame 
motives  to  new  rules  of  conduct, 

VV  HEN  we  confidcr,  fir!T,  the  preva- 
lency  of  the  religion  at  this  hour;  fccondly,  the  only 
credible  account  which  can  be  given  of  its  original, 
viz.  the  activity  of  the  founder  and  his  affociatcs; 
thirdly,  the  opporuion  w'nich  that  adtiviry  muft 
naturally  have  excited;  fourtldy,  the  fate  of  the 
founder  of  the  religion,  artcfted  by  heathen  writers 
as  well  as  our  own;  fifthly,  the  tcflimony  of  the 
fame  writers  to  the  fu  -erings  of  Chriftians,  either 
contemporary  with,  or  immediately  fucceeding,  tlie 
original  frttlers  of  the  iniVitution;  fixihly,  predictions 
of  the  fufFerings  of  his  followers  afcribed  to  the 
founder  of  the  religion,  which  afcription  alone 
proves,  cither  that  fach  predictions  were  delivered 

and 


6i  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

and  fulfilled;,  or  that  the  writers  of  Chrift's  life  wer<5 
induced  by  the  event  to  attribute  fuch  prediftions  to 
him;  feventhly,  letters  no\v  in  our  pofTcflion,  written 
by  fome  of  the  principal  agents  in  the  tranfaftion, 
and  referring  exprefsly  to  extreme  labours,  dangers, 
and  fuiferings,  fuftained  by  themfelves  and  their 
companions ;  lafljy,  a  hiflory,  purporting  to  be  writ-* 
ten  by  a  fellow-traveller  of  one  of  the  new  teachers, 
and,  by  its  unfophiflicate  1  correfpondency  with  let- 
ters of  that  perfon  ilill  extant,  proving  itfclf  to  be 
written  by  fome  one  well  acquainted  with  the  fubjeft 
of  the  narrative,  which  hiftory  contains  accounts  of 
travels,  perfecutions,  and  martyrdoms,  anfwering  to 
what  the  form.er  reafons  lead  us  to  expeft:  when  we 
]ay  together  thefe  confiderations,  v/hich,  taken  fepa- 
rately,  are,  1  thmk,  corre611y  fuch  as  I  have  dated 
them  in  the  preceding  chapters,  there  cannot  much 
doubt  remain  upon  our  minds,  but  that  a  number  of 
perfons  at  that  time  appeared  in  the  world,  publicly 
advancing  an  extraordinary  (lory,  and,  for  the  fake 
of  propagating  the  belief  of  that  (lory,  voluntarily 
incurring  great  perfonal  dangers,  traverlmg  feas  and 
kingdoms,  exerting  great  induilry,  and  fuftaining 
great  extremities  of  ill  ufage  and  perfecution.  It  is 
alfo  proved  that  the  fame  perfons,  in  confequence  oF 
their  perfuafion,  or  pretended  perfuafion  of  the  truth 
of  what  they  aiferted,  entered  upon  a  courfe  of  hfs 
in  many  refpt^ls  new  and  fingular. 

From  the  clear  and  acknowledged  parts  of  the 
cafe,  1  think  it  to  be  likewife  in  the  higheft  degree 
probable,  that  the  ftory,  for  which  thefe  perfons 
voluntarily  expofed  theinfelves  to  the  fatigues  and 
hardfhips  which  they  endured,  was  a  miraculous 
ftory;  I  mean,  that  they  pretended  to  miraculous 
evidence  of  lome  kind  or  other.  They  had  nothing 
elfe  to  ftand  upon.  The  defignation  of  the  perfon, 
that   is  to  fay,   that  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  rather  than 

any 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  6j 

any  other  perfon,  was  the  Mefliah,  and,  as  fuch,  the 
fubjeft  of  their  miniftry,  could  only  be  founded  upon 
fupernatural  tokens  attributed  to  him.  Here  were 
no  vi6lories,  no  conquefts,  no  revolutions,  no  fur- 
prifing  elevation  of  fortune,  no  achievements  of 
valour,  of  flrength,  or  of  policy,  to  appeal  to;  no 
difcoverics  in  any  art  or  fciencc,  no  great  efforts  of 
genius  or  learning  to  produce.  A  Galilean  pcafant 
was  announced  to  the  world  as  a  divine  lawgiver. 
A  young  man  of  mean  condition,  of  a  pn-ivate  and 
funple  life,  and  who  had  wrought  no  deliverance  for 
the  Jewifli  nation,  was  declared  to  be  their  Meffiah. 
This,  without  afcribing  to  him  at  the  fame  time  fome 
proofs  of  his  miffion,  (and  what  other  but  fuperna- 
tural proofs  could  there  be?j  was  too  abfurd  a  claim 
to  be  either  imagined,  or  attempted,  or  credited. 
Im  whatever  degree,  or  in  whatever  part,  the  religion 
was  arguvientative,  when  it  came  to  the  queftion,  Is 
the  carpenter's  fon  of  Nazareth  the  perfon  whom 
we  are  to  receive  and  obey?  tliere  was  nothing  but 
the  miracles  attributed  to  him,  by  which  his  prcten- 
fions  could  be  maintained  for  a  moment.  Every 
controverfy  and  every  queflion  niufl:  prcfuppofe 
ihefe;  for  however  fuch  controverfies,  when  they 
did  arife,  might,  and  naturally  would,  be  dif(  uiTed 
upon  their  own  grounds  of  argumentation,  without 
citing  the  miraculous  evidence  which  had  been 
afferted  to  attend  the  founder  of  the  religion,  (which 
would  have  been  to  enter  upon  another,  and  a  more 
general,  queftion)  yet  we  are  to  bear  in  mind,  that, 
without  previoufly  fuppofing  the  exiftence,  or  the 
I-rctence,  of  fuch  evidence,  there  could  have  been 
no  place  for  the  difcufTion  or  the  argument  at  all. 
Thus,  for  example,  whether  the  propheile',  which 
the  Jews  interpreted  to  belong  to  the  MelTiah,  were, 
or  v/ere  not,  applicable  to  the  hillory  of  Jcfus  of 
Nazareth,  was  a  natural  fubjcO  of  debate  in  thofe 

times  ^ 


H  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

times ;  and  the  debate  would  proceed,  withoitt 
recurring  at  every  turn  to  his  miracles,  bee  ufe  it 
fet  out  with  fuppofing  thefe;  inafmuch  as  with'iut 
miraculous  marks  and  tokens,  (real  or  pretended)  or 
without  fome  fuch  great  change  effefted  by  his 
means  in  the  public  condition  of  the  country,  as 
might  have  fatisfied  the  then  received  interpretation 
of  thefe  prophefies,  I  do  not  fee  how  the  queflion 
could  ever  have  been  entertained.  ApoUos,  we 
read,  "  mightily  convinced  the  Jews,  fliowing  by  the 
'*  fcriptures  that  Jefus  was  Chrifl*;'*  but  unlefs 
Jcfus  had  exhibited  fome  diilinftion  of  his  pcrfon, 
fome  proof  of  fupernatural  power,  the  argument 
from  the  old  fcriptures  could  have  had  no  place.  It 
had  nothing  to  attach  upon.  A  young  man,  calling 
himfelf  the  fon  of  God,  gathering  a  crowd  about 
him,  and  delivering  to  them  leftures  of  morality, 
could  not  have  excited  fo  much  as  a  doubt  araongft 
the  Jews  v/hether  he  v/as  the  objeft  in  whom  a  long 
feries  of  ancient  prophefies  terminated,  from  the 
completion  of  which  they  had  formed  fuch  magnifi- 
cent expeftaticns,  and  expeftations  of  a  nature  fo 
oppofire  to  what  appeared;  I  mean,  no  fuch  doubt 
could  exifl  when  they  had  the  whole  cafe  before 
them,  when  they  faw  him  put  to  death  for  his  olS- 
cioufnefs,  and  when  by  his  death  the  evidence  con* 
cerning  him  was  clofed.  Again,  thcff^-'t^of  the  Mef- 
iiah's  coming,  fuppofing  Jefus  to  have  been  bim, 
upon  Jews,  upon  Gentiles,  upon  their  relation  to 
each  other,  upon  their  accepiance  with  God,  upon 
their  duties  and  their  expectations  ;  his  nature, 
authority,  oiHce,  and  agency  ;  v;ere  likely  to  become 
fubjetis  of  much  confideration  with  the  early  vota- 
ries of  the  religion,  and  to  occupy  their  attention  and 
writings.     1  fliould  not,  however,  expeft,  that  in 

A<!^s  xvilL  28. 
A  thefe 


EVIDENCES  or  CHRISTIANITY.  65 

thefc  difquifitions,  whether  preferved  in  the  form  of 
letters,  fpecches,  or  fet  ireanfes,  frequent  or  very 
dirtft  mention  of  his  miracles  would  occur.  Still 
miraculous  evidence  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  argu- 
ment. In  the  primary  queftion,  miraculous  preten- 
fions,  and  mir.iculous  pretenfions  alone,  were  what 
they  had  to  rtly  up<n. 

That  the  origmal  (lory  was  miraculous,  is  very 
fairly  alfo  inferred  from  the  miraculous  powers 
which  were  laid  claim  to  by  the  Chriilians  of  fuc- 
ceeding  age?.  If  the  accounts  of  thefe  miracles  be 
true,  i"t  w  IS  a  continuation  of  the  fame  powers  :  if 
they  be  fa'ft ,  it  was  an  imiiation^  I  will  not  fay,  of 
what  had  been  wrought,  hut  of  what  had  been  re- 
ported to  have  been  wnmght,  by  thofe  who  preceded 
thrm.  That  irr.itaiion  fliould  follow  reality;  fiftion 
be  grafted  upon  truth  ;  that  if  miracles  were  per- 
formed at  firil,  miracles  fliould  be  pretended  after- 
wards, agrees  fo  well  with  the  ordinary  courfe  of 
human  affairs,  that  we  can  have  no  great  difficulty 
in  believing  it.  The  contrary  fuppofition  is  very 
improb.ihle,  namely,  that  miracles  (hould  be  pre- 
tended to  by  the  followers  of  the  apoftles  and  firft 
erailliiries  of  the  religion,  v;hen  none  were  pre- 
tended to,  either  in  their  own  perfons  or  that  of 
their  mailer,  by  thefe  apoftles  and  emilTaries  them- 
fclves. 


CHAP. 


66  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


CHAP.    vir. 

There  is  fathfaclory  evidence^  that  many  profejjtng  to 
have  been  original  witnejfes  of  the  Chri/iian  Mi- 
racles, pajfed  their  lives  in  labours,  da  tigers  and 
Sufferings,  voluntarily  undergone  in  attejiation  of 
the  accounts  which  they  delivered,  and  folely  in 
confequence  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thofe  ac^ 
counts  ;  and  that  they  alfo  fubmitted,  from  the  fame 
motives,  to  new  rules  of  conduct. 

IT  once  then  being  proved,  that  the  fird 
propagators  of  the  Chriftian  inftituticn  did  exert 
great  adlivity,  and  fubjeft  themfelves  to  great  dan- 
gers and  fufierings,  in  confequence,  and  for  the  fake 
of  an  extraordinary,  and  I  think  we  may  fay,  of  a 
miraculous  ftory  of  fome  kind  or  other  j  the  next 
great  queftion  is,  whether  the  account,  which  our 
fcriptures  contain,  be  that  ftory;  that  which  thefe 
men  deUvered,  and  for  which  they  afted  and  fuffer- 
ed  as  they  did. 

This  queftion  is,  in  effe£^,  no  other  than  whether 
the  ftory,  which  Chriftians  have  nozu,  be  the  ftory 
which  Chriftians  had  then;  and  of  this  the  following 
proofs  may  be  deduced  from  general  confiderations, 
and  from  confiderations  prior  to  any  inquiry  into  the 
particular  reafons  and  teftimonies  by  which  the  au- 
thority of  our  hiftories  is  fupported. 

In  the  iirft  place,  there  cxifts  no  trace  or  veftige 
of  any  other  ftory.  It  is  not,  like  the  death  of  Cy- 
rus the  great,  a  competition  between  oppofite  ac- 
counts, or  between  the  credit  of  different  hiftorians. 
There  is  not  a  document,  or  fcrap  of  account,  either 
contemporary  with  the  commencement  of  Chriftia- 

nity, 


EVTOENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  67 

nity,   or  extant  within  many  af^e?   after  that  com- 
mencement, which  afliirns  a  hiftory  fubftantially  dif* 
fertnt  from  our^.     The  remote,  brief,  and  inciden- 
tal notices  of  the  affair,  which  are  found  in  he  uhen 
writers,  fo  far  as  they  do  go,  go  along  with  us.  They 
bear  teftimony  to   ihefe   fa<51s ;    tljat  the  inftitutioii 
originated  from  Jefus  ;   that  the  founder  was  put  to 
death,  as  a  malefiiftor,  at  Jerufalem,  by  the  autho- 
rity of  the  Roman   governor,  Pontius  Pilate  ;   that 
the   religiiin  neverthelefs  fpread    in  that  city,    and 
throughout   Judcea ;    and    that   it   was   propagated 
from  thence  to  diftant  countries  ;   that  the  converts 
were  numerous  ;   that  they  fuffered  great  hardlhips 
and  injuries  for  their  profefFion  ;  and  that  all  this 
took  place  in  the  age  of  the  world  which  our  books 
have  affigned.     They  go  on  further,  to  defcribe  the 
vianners  of  Chriftians  in  terms  perfe6lly  conformable 
to  the  accounts  extant  in  our  books  ;  that  they  were 
wont  to  affemble  on  a  certain  day ;  that  they  fung 
hyTins  to  Clirift  as  to  a  god  ;  that  they  bound  them- 
feives  by  an  oarh  not  to  commit   any  crime,  but  to 
abltain  from  theft  and  adultery,  to  adhere  ftriclly  to 
their  promifts,  and  not  to  deny  money  depofited  in 
their  hands  *  ;   that  they  worihipped  him  who  was 
crucified  in  Paleftine  ;  that  this,  their  firfl  law-giver, 
had  taught  them  that  they  were  all  brethren  ;  that 
they  had  a  great  contempt  for  the  things  of  this 
world,  and  looked  upon  them  as  common  ;  that  'hey 
flew  to  one   another's    relief;  that  they   cherifhed 
Itrong   hopes   of  immortality  j    that   they   dtfpifed 

*  Vide  Pliny's  Letter.  Bonnet,  in  his  lively  way  of  exprefi"- 
ing  himfclf,  fays, — "  Comparing  Pliny's  Letter  with  the  ac 
"  count  In  the  Afts,  it  fecms  to  me  that  I  liad  not  taken  up 
"  another  author,  but  that  I  was  ftill  reading  the  lilftorlan  of 
*'  that  extraordinary  foclcty."  Thi-  is  ftrong  -,  but  there  u  un- 
doubtedly an  affinity,  and  all  the  affinity  that  could  be  expedled. 

F  2  death. 


6^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

death,  and  furrendered  tbemfelves  to  fufFerings  *J* 
This  is  the  account  of  writers  who  viewed  the  fub- 
jeft  at  a  great  didance,  who  were  iininforrned  and 
uninterefted  about  it.  It  bears  the  chara(5i:ers  of  fuch 
an  account  upon  the  face  of  it,  becaufe  it  defcribes 
elFe£ls,  namely,  the  appearance  in  the  world  of  a 
fiew  religion,  and  the  .converfion  of  great  multitudes 
to  it,  without  dtfccnding,  in  the  frnalleft  degree,  to 
the  detail  of  the  tranfa£lion  upon  which  it  was 
founded,  the  interior  of  the  inftitution,  the  evidence 
or  arguments  offered  by  thofe  who  drew  over  others 
to  it.  Yet  dill  here  is  no  contradiction  of  our  (iory, 
iio  other  or  different  fiory  fet  up  againfl:  it,  but  (o 
far  a  confirmation  of  it,  as  that,  in  the  general  points 
upon  which  the  heathen  account  touches,  it  agrees 
with  that  v.'hich  we  find  in  our  own  books. 

The  fame  may  be  obferved  of  the  very  few  JewiOi 
"Writers,  of  that  and  the  adjoining  period,  w^hich 
have  come  down  to  us.  Whatever  they  omit,  or 
whatever  difficulties  we  may  find  in  explaining  the 
omiffion,  they  advance  no  other  hiftory  of  the  tranf- 
aftion  than  that  which  we  acknowledge.  Jofephus, 
who  wrote  his  antiquities,  or  hiftory  of  the  Jews, 
about  fixty  years  after  the  commencement  of  Chrif- 
tianity,  in  a  palTage  generally  admitted  as  genuine, 
makes  mention  of  John  under  the  name  of  John  the 

*  "  It  is  incredible  what  expedition  they  ufe  when  any  of 
*•  their  friends  are  known  to  be  in  trouble-  In  a  word,  they 
f*  fpare  nothing  upon  fuch  an  occalion — for  thefe  miferabl& 
**  men  have  no  doubt  they  fhall  be  immortal,  and  live  for  ever, 
"  therefore  they  contemn  death,  and  many  furrender  themfelves 
"  to  fufFerings.  Moreover  their  firft  law-giver  has  taught 
**  them  that  they  are  all  brethren,  when  once  they  have  turned 
*'  and  renounced  the  gods  of  the  Greeks,  and  worfhip  the  mafler 
*'  of  theirs  who  was  crucified,  and  engage  to  live  according 
"  to  his  laws.  They  have  alfo  a  fovcreign  contempt  for  all 
*'  the  things  of  this  world,  and  look  upon  them  as  common.''* 
Lucian  de  Morte  Peregrlni,  t.   i.  p.  ^6^.  ed.  Grxv. 

Baptid  J 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  69 

Baptifl ;  tliTit  he  was  a  preacher  of  virtue  ;  that  he 
baptized  his  proftlytes  ;  that  he  was  well  received 
by  the  people  ;  that  he  was  imprifoned  and  put  to 
death  by  Herod  ;  and  that  Herod  hved  in  a  criminal 
cohabitation  with  Herodias,  his  brother's  wife  *. 
In  another  palTage,  allowed  by  many,  although  not 
without  confiJerable  queftion  being  moved  about  it, 
we  hear  of  "  James,  the  brother  of  him  who  was 
"  called  Jefus,  and  of  his  being  put  to  death  |."  In 
a  third  paffiige,  extant  in  every  copy  that  remains  of 
Jofephus's  hiftory,  but  the  authenticity  of  which 
has  neverthelefs  been  long  difputed,  we  have  an  ex- 
plicit teftimony  to  the  fubdance  of  our  hillory  in 
ihefe  words: — "  At  that  time  lived  Jefus,  a  wife 
"  man,  if  he  may  be  called  a  man,  for  he  performed 
"  many  wonderful  works.  He  was  a  teacher  of 
"  fuch  men  as  received  the  truth  with  pleafure. 
"  He  drew  over  to  him  many  Jews  and  Gentiles. 
"  This  was  the  Chrift  ;  and  when  Pilate,  at  the 
'•  inftigation  of  the  chief  men  among  us,  had  con- 
*'  demned  him  to  the  crof*^,  they,  w'ho  before  had 
"  conceived  an  affe^iion  for  him,  did  not  ceafe  to 
*'  adhere  to  him  ;  for  on  the  third  day  he  appeared 
"  to  them  alive  again,  the  divine  prophets  having 
*'  foretold  thefe  and  many  wonderful  things  con- 
"  cerning  him.  And  the  fc£t  of  the  Chriftians,  fo 
"  called  from  him,  fubfifts  to  this  time  J."  What- 
ever becomes  of  the  controverfy  concerning  the  ge- 
nuinenefs  of  this  paiTage  ;  whether  Jofephus  go  the 
whole  length  of  our  iiiitory,  which,  if  the  paiTage 
be  fincere,  he  docs  ;  or  whether  he  proceed  only 
a  very  little  way  witli  us,  which,  if  the  paflage  be 
rcjc<5led,  we  confefs  to  be  the  cafe ;   ftill  vv'hat  we 

*   Antiq.  1.   xviii.  cap.  v.  {c€t.    i,   2. 
■\-  Antiq.  1.  XX.  c;ip.  ix.  fed.    I. 
i  Ar.tiq.  1.  xviii.  cap.  iii.  fed.  3. 

F  3  aff^prtcd 


7©  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

aflerted  is  true,  that  he  gives  no  other  or  different 
hiftory  of  the  fubjeft  from  ours,  no  other  or  differ- 
ent account  of  the  original  of  the  inftitution.  And 
I  think  alfo  that  it  may  with  great  reaf -n  be  con- 
tended, either  that  the  paffage  is  genuine,  or  that 
the  filence  of  Jofephus  was  defigncd.  For,  al- 
though we  fliould  lay  afide  the  aurhoriry  of  our 
own  books  entirely,  yet  when  Tacitus,  wh>  wrote 
not  twenty,  perhaps  not  ten,  years  after  J<  fephus, 
in  his  account  of  a  period  in  which  Jofephus  was 
near  thirty  years  of  age,  tells  us,  that  a  v:-''^  mul- 
titude of  Chriftians  were  condemned  ar  Rome  ;  th  it 
they  derived  their  denommation  from  Chrift,  who, 
in  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  was  put  to  death,  as  a  tri- 
minal,  by  the  Procurator  Pontius  Pilate ;  that  the 
fuperflition  had  fpread  not  only  over  Judaea,  the 
fource  of  the  evil,  but  had  reached  Rome  alfo  : 
when  Suetonius  an  hillorian  contemporary  with  Ta- 
citus, relates,  that,  in  the  time  of  Claudius,  the  Jews 
were  making  difturbances  at  Rome,  Chreftus  being 
their  leader ;  and  that,  during  the  reign  of  Nero, 
the  Chriflians  were  punilhed  ;  under  both  which 
emperors  Jofephus  lived  : — When  Pliny,  who  wrote 
jhis  celebrated  epiftle  not  more  than  thirty  years  after 
the  publication  of  Jofephus's  hiftory,  found  the 
Chriftians  in  fuch  numbers  in  the  province  of  By- 
thynia  as  to  draw  from  him  a  complaint,  that  the 
contagion  had  feized  cities,  towns  and  villages,  and 
had  fo  feized  them  as  to  produce  a  general  defer- 
tion  of  the  public  rites  ;  and  when,  as  hath  already 
been  obferved,  there  is  no  reafon  for  imagining  that 
the  Chriftians  were  more  numerous  in  Bythynia  than 
-in  many  other  parts  of  the  Roman  empire :  it  can- 
not, I  ftiould  fuppofe,  after  this,  be  believed,  that 
the  religion,  and  the  tranfa£tion  upon  which  it  was 
founded,  were  too  obfcure  to  engage  the  attention 
pi  Jofephus,  or  tp  obtain  a  place  in  his  hiftory. 

Jl'erhaps 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  71 

Perhaps  he  did  not  know  how  to  reprefent  the  bu- 
iinefs,  and  difpofed  of  his  difficulties  by  pafling  it 
over  in  filence.  Eufebius  wrote  the  hfe  of  Con- 
flaniine,  yet  omits  entirely  the  moft  renin rkable  cir- 
cumftance  in  that  life,  the  death  of  his  fon  Crifpus  ; 
undoubtedly  for  the  reafon^  here  j^iven.  The  referve 
of  Jofcphus  upon  the  fubjeft  of  Chriflianicy  appears 
alfo  in  his  pafling  over  tlie  banifhraent  of  the  Jews 
by  Claudius,  which  Suetonius,  we  have  feen,  has 
recorded  with  an  exprefs  reference  to  Chrift.  This 
is  a^  le  ifl:  as  remarkable  as  his  filence  about  the  in- 
fants of  Betlilehem  *.  Be,  however,  the  faft,  or 
the  caufe  of  ihe  omiflion  in  Jofephus  |,  what  it  may, 
no  other  or  different  hiftory  of  the  fubje^  has  been 
given  by  him,  or  is  pretended  to  have  been  given. 
But  further,  the  whole  feries  of  Chriftian  writers, 
from  the  firfl  age  of  the  inftituiion  down  to  the  pre- 
fent  time,  in  their  difcuflions,  apologies,  arguments, 
and  controverfies,  proceed  upon  the  general  ftory 
which  our  fcriptures  contain,  and  upon  no  other. 
The  main  fafls,  the  principal  agents,  are  alike  in  all. 
This  argument  will  appear  to  be  of  great  force,  when 
it  is  known  that  we  are  able  to  trace  back  the  feries 

*  Michaelis  has  computed,  and,  as  it  fiioiild  feem  fairly 
enough,  that  probably  not  more  than  twenty  children  periOied 
by  this  cruel  precaution.  Michael.  Introd.  to  the  N.  Tell, 
tranllated  by  Marfli.     Vol.  i.  c.  ii.  feet.  11. 

f  There  is  no  notice  taken  of  Chriflianity  in  the  Miflma,  a 
colle^ion  of  Jewifh  traditions  compiled  about  the  year  1 80,  al- 
though it  contains  a  Travel,  "  De  cultu  Pcregrino,"  of  flrange 
or  idolatrous  woi iliip ;  yet  it  cannot  be  difputed  but  that 
Chrillianity  was  perfedly  well  known  in  the  world  at  this  time. 
There  is  extremely  little  notice  of  the  fubjeift  in  the  Jerufalem 
Talmud,  compiled  about  the  year  300,  and  not  much  more  in 
the  Babylunilh  Talmud,  of  the  year  500,  aUhough  both  thefe 
works  are  of  a  religious  nature,  and  although,  when  the  firfl 
was  compiled,  Chrillianity  was  upon  the  point  of  becoming 
the  religion  of  the  Rate,  and,  when  the  latter  was  publiflied, 
had  been  fo  for  200  years. 

F  4  of 


71  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

of  writers  to  a  contaft  with  the  hiftoriral  books  oi 
the  New  Tedament,  and  to  the  age  of  the  firft  emif- 
faries  of  the  religion,  and  to  deduce  ir,  by  an  un- 
broken continuation,  from  that  end  of  the  train  to 
the  prefer]  t. 

The  remaining  letters  of  the  apofiles  (and  what 
more  original  than  their  letters  can  we  have)  though 
written  without  the  reraoiefl:  defign  of  tranfmitting 
the  hiltory  of  Chrift,  or  of  ChriiVianiry,  to  future 
ages,  or  evfo  of  making  it  known  to  their  contem- 
poraries, incidentally  difclofe  to  us  the  folloM'ing 
circumftances :  "  Chrifl's  defcent  and  fiimily,  his 
*'  innocence,  the  raeekntfs  and  genilencfs  of  his 
"  character  (a  recognition  which  goes  to  the  whole 
"  gofpel  hiftory),  his  exalted  nature,  his  circumci- 
"  fion,  transfiguration,  his  life  of  oppofition  and 
"  fuffering,  his  patience  and  refignation,  the  ap-  ' 
*'  pointraent  of  the  eucharift:  and  the  manner  of  it, 
*'  his  agony,  his  confefiion  before  Pontius  Pi'atej 
*'  his  ftripes,  crucifixion,  burial,  refurreftion,  his 
*'  appearance  after  it,  firft  to  Peter,  then  to  the  reft 
*'  of  the  apoftles,  his  afcenfiOn  into  heaven,  and  his 
*'  defignarion  to  be  the  future  judge  of  mankind  : 
^''  the  ftatcd  refidence  of  the  apoftles  at  Jerufalem, 
*'  the  working  of  nniracles  by  the  firft  preachers  of 
5'  the  gofpel,  who  were  alfo  the  hearers  of  Chrift*  : 

*  Heb.  11.  3.  "  How  fhall  we  efcape  if  we  neglecl  fo  great 
lalvation,  which,  at  the  firft,  began  to  be  fpoken  by  the  Lordj, 
and  was  confirmed  unto  us  iy  thein  that  heard  him,  God  alfo 
bearing  them  witnefs,  both  with  f'gns  and  tuonders,  and  with 
divers  miracles^  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft."  I  allege  this 
epiiHe  without  hefitation,  for  whatever  doubts  may  have  been 
raifed  about  its  author,  there  can  be  none  concerning  the  age 
an  which  it  was  written.  No  epiftle  in  the  colledion  carries 
about  it  more  indubitable  marks  of  antiquity  than  this  does. 
It  fpeaks,  for  inftance,  throughout,  of  the  temple  as  then 
itanding,  and  of  the  worOiip  of  the  temple  as  then  fubfifting. 
—Heb.  viii.  4.  *'  For  if  he  were  on  earth,  he  fhould  not  be  3, 

prieft^ 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  73 

"  the  fuccefsful  propagation  of  the  religion,  the  pcr- 
*'  fecution  of  its  followers,  the  miraculous  convcr- 
*'  fion  of  Paul,  miracles  wrought  by  himfclf,  and 
''  alleJged  in  his  controverfies  with  his  advcrfaries, 
"  and  in  letters  to  the  perfons  amongft  whom  they 
'-  were  wrought ;  finally,  that  ?nij-aclcs  were  the  figns 
"  Qf  an  apojile*:' 

In  an  epillle  bearing  the  name  of  Barnabas  the 
companion  of  Paul,  probably  genuine,  certainly  be- 
longing to  that  age,  we  have  the  full'erings  of  Chrill, 
his  choice  of  apoltlcs  and  their  number,  his  paflion, 
the  fcarlet  robe,  the  vinegar  and  gall,  the  mocking 
and  piercing,  the  carting  lots  for  his  coat-]-,  his  re- 
furre(R:!on  on  the  eighth,  (/.  c.  the  firft  day  of  the 
weekj)  and  the  commemorative  difl:in£lion  of  that 
day,  his  manift  Nation  after  his  refurrcftion,  and 
laflly,  his  afcenfion.  We  have  alfo  his  miracles, 
generally  but  poficively  referred  to  in  the  following 
words :  "  finally  teaching  the  people  of  Ifrael,  and 
doing  many  wonders  andjigns  among  ihem,  he  preached 
to  them,  Lind  (liowcd  the  exceeding  great  love  which 
he  bare  towards  ihem^." 

In  an  epillle  of  Clement,  a  hearer  of  St.  Paul, 
although  writren  for  a  purpofe  remotely  connected 
wi:h  the  Chriflian  hitlory,  wc  have  the  refurre£i:ion 
of  Chrill,  and  the  fuhfequent  million  of  the  apoftles, 
recorded  in  thefe  fatisfaciory  terms  :  "  The  apoftles 
"  have  preached  to  us,  from  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrili: 
"  from  God — For  having  received  their  command, 
"  and  being  thoroughly  ajfurcd  by  the  refurrcffion  cf 

prlcft,  feeing  there  are  pricfts  tlwt  ofTer  nccordinoj  to  the  law." 
Again,  Heb.  xlii.  10.  "  We  have  an  alrar  '^liercor  they  have 
tin  right  to  eat  v  hicli  ferve  the  tabernacle." 

*  2  Cor.  xii.  12.  "  TT].\]y,  t/.Y/rrf!s  o/<;n  a/'fJ?L'  were  wvrunrht 
amon;T  you  in  all  patience,  in  figns  and  wonders,  and  nii<;hty 
.deeds." 

I  Ep.  Bar,  c.  vii.         +   Ibid.  c.  vl,         §  Ibi.'.  c.  v. 

"  cur 


74  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

*'  our  Lord  ye/us  Chriji,  they  went  abroad,  pub- 
"  lifhing  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  at  hand*.** 
"We  find  noticed  alfo,  the  humility,  yet  the  power 
of  Chriftf,  his  defcent  from  Abraham,  his  cruci- 
fixion. We  have  Peter  and  Paul  reprefented  as 
faithful  and  righteous  pillars  of  the  church,  the  nu- 
merous fufferings  of  Peter,  the  bonds,  ftripes,  and 
ftoning  of  Paul,  and  more  particularly,  his  extenfive 
and  unwearied  travels. 

In  an  epiftle  of  Polycarp,  a  difciple  of  St  John, 
though  only  a  brief  hortatory  letter,  we  have  the 
humility,  patience,  fufferings,  lefurreftion,  and 
afcenfion  of  Chrift,  together  with  the  apoftolic  cha- 
rafter  of  St.  Paul  diftinftly  recognized  J.  Of  this 
fame  father  we  are  alfo  affured  by  Irenasus,  that  he 
(Iren^us)  had  heard  him  relate,  "  what  he  had  rc- 
"  ceived  from  eye-witneffes  concerning  the  Lord, 
*'  both  concerning  his  miracles  and  his  doftrine§." 

In  the  remiiining  works  of  Ignatius,  the  contem- 
porary of  Polycarp,  (yet,  like  thofe  of  Polycarp, 
treating  of  fubjefts  in  no  wife  leading  to  any  recital 
of  the  Chriftian  hiftory)  the  occafional  allufions  are 
proportionably  more  copious.  The  defcent  of  Chrifl 
from  David,  his  mother  Mary,  his  miraculous  con- 
ception, the  ftar  at  his  birth,  his  baptifm  by  John, 
the  reafon  affigned  for  it,  his  appeal  to  the  prophets, 
the  ointment  poured  on  his  head,  his  fufferings 
under  Pontius  Pilate  and  Herod  the  Tetrarch,  his 
refuire£tion,  the  Lord's  day  called  and  kept  in  com- 
memoration of  it,  and  the  Eucharift,  in  both  its 
parts,  are  unequivocally  referred  to.  Upon  the 
refurreOion  this  writer  is  even  circumllaniial.  He 
mentions   the   apoftles    eating    and    drinking    with 

*  Ep.  Clem.  Rom.  c  xlii.         f  Ibid  c.  xvi. 
X  PlI.  Eq.  ad  Phil.  c.  v.  viii.  ii.  iii. 
§  Ir.  ad  Flor.  aq.  Euf'  1.  v.  c.  2q. 

Chrifl 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  75 

Chrill  after  he  was  rifen,  their  feeling  and  their 
handling  him  ;  from  which  laft  circumftance  Ignatius 
raifcs  this  jufl:  reflexion — "  They  believed,  being 
'*  convinced  both  by  his  flcfli  and  fpirit ;  for  this 
"  caufe  they  defpifed  death,  and  were  found  to  be 
'•  above  it*.*' 

Quadratus,  of  the  fame  age  with  Ignatius,  has 
left  us  the  following  noble  teftimony  :— "  The  works 
'^  of  our  Saviour  were  always  confpicuous,  for  they 
"  were  real :  both  they  that  were  healed,  and  they 
"  that  were  raiil^d  from  the  dead :  wLo  were  feeii 
"  not  only  when  they  were  healed  or  raifed,  but  for 
"  a  lon^  time  afterwards.  Not  only  whild  he  dwelled 
"  on  this  earth,  but  alfo  after  his  departure,  and 
"  for  a  good  while  after  it,  hifomuch  that  fome  of 
"  them  have  reached  to  our  times-}-.'-' 

Juftin  Martyr  came  little  moie  than  thirty  years 
after  Qaadratus.  From  Juftin's  works,  which  are 
{till  extant,  might  be  collected  a  tolerably  complete 
account  of  Chrift's  life,  in  all  points  agreeing  with 
that  which  is  delivered  in  our  fcrii)tares  ;  taken  in- 
deed, in  a  great  meafure,  from  thofe  fcriptures,  but 
flill  proving  that  this  account,  and  no  other,  was 
the  account  known  and  extant  in  that  age.  The 
miracles  in  particular,  which  from  the  part  of 
ChriiVs  hiilory  mod  material  to  be  traced,  ftand 
fully  and  diftioi^ly  recognized  in  the  following  paf- 
fige  : — "  He  healed  thofe  who  had  been  blind,  and 
"deaf,  and  lame,  from  their  birth,  canfmg,  by  his 
*'  word,  one  to  leap,  another  to  hear,  and  a  third 
"  to  fee  ;  and  by  raifiiig  the  dead,  and  makin:^  thcra 
"  to  live,  he  induced,  by  his  works,  the  men  of 
"  that  age  to  know  him  J," 


*  Ad.  Smyr.  c.  iii.         f  Ap.  Euf.  H.  E.  1.  !v.  c  3. 
J  Juft.  dial.  cum.  Tryph.  p.  ^C:"..  cJ.  Thirl. 


76  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

It  is  unneceffary  to  carry  thefe  citations  lower, 
becaufe  the  hi  (lory,  after  this  time,  occurs  in  ancient 
Chriftian  writings  as  familiarly  as  it  is  wont  to  do 
in  modern  fermons  ;  occurs  always  the  fame  in  fub- 
iT:ance,  and  always  that  which  our  evangelifts  re- 
prefenr. 

This  is  not  only  true  of  thofe  writings  of  Chrif- 
tians  which  are  genuine,  and  of  acknowledged  au- 
thority, but  it  is,  in  a  great  meafure,  true  of  all 
their  ancient  writings  which  remain  ;  although  fome 
of  thefe  may  have  been  erroneoufly  afcribed  to  au- 
thors to  whom  they  did  not  belong,  or  may  contain 
falfe  accounts,  or  may  appear  to  be  undeferving  of 
credit,  or  never  indeed  to  have  obtained  any. — 
Whatever  fables  they  have  mixed  with  the  narrative, 
they  preferve  the  material  parts,  the  leading  fa£ls, 
as  we  have  them  ;  and,  fo  far  as  they  do  this,  al- 
though they  be  evidence  of  nothing  elfe,  they  are 
evidence  that  thefe  points  were  fixcd^  were  received 
and  acknowledged  by  all  Chriftians  in  the  ages  in 
which  the  books  were  written.  At  lead  it  may  be 
afTerted,  that,  in  the  places  where  we  were  m,oft 
likely  to  meet  with  fuch  things,  if  fiich  things  had 
cxifted,  no  reliques  appear  of  any  (lory  fubftantially 
different  from  the  prefent,  as  the  caufe,  or  as  the 
pretence,  of  the  inftitution. 

Now  that  the  original  ftory,  the  (lory  delivered 
by  the  firil  preachers  of  the  inilirurion,  fliould  have 
died  away  fo  entirely  as  to  have  left  no  record  or 
memorial  of  its  exiflence,  although  fo  many  records 
and  memorials  of  the  time  and  tranfaclion  remain  ; 
and  that  another  (lory  fnould  have  (lepped  into  its 
place,  and  gained  exclafive  poiTelTion  of  the  belief 
of  all  who  profelTed  themfelves  difciples  of  the 
inftitution,  is  beyond  any  example  of  the  corrup- 
tion of  even  oral  tradition,  and  ftill  lefs  confident 
with  the  experience   of  written  hidory :  and   this 

impror 


Evidences  of  Christianity.        77 

Improbability,  which  is  very  great,  is  rendered  ftill 
greater  by  the  reflexion,  that  no  fiich  change,  as  the 
oblivion  of  one  flory  and  the  fiibftitution  ot  another, 
took  place  in  any  future  period  of  the  Chriftian  aera. 
Chrifiianity  has  travelled  through  dark  and  turbu- 
lent ages ;  ncvertlie'.efs  it  came  out  of  he  cloud  and 
the  ftorm  fuch,  in  fubllance,  as  it  entered  in.  Many 
additions  were  made  to  the  primitive  hiflory,  and 
thefe  entitled  to  different  dcLijrees  of  credit;  many 
do(^rinal  errors  alfo  were  from  time  to  time  grafted 
into  the  public  creed,  but  flill  the  original  ftory  re- 
mained, and  remained  the  fame.  In  all  its  principal 
parts  it  has  been  fixed  from  the  beginning. 

Thirdly,  The  religious  rites  and  ufages  that  pre- 
vailed amongfl:  the  early  Jifcirles  of  Chrifiianity  were 
fuch  as  belonged  to,  and  fprung  out  of,  the  narra- 
tive now  in  our  hands  ;  which  accordancy  fliows, 
that  it  was  the  narrarive  upon  which  thefe  perfons 
a£ted,  and  which  they  h:-id  received  from  their 
teachers.  Our  account  makes  the  founder  of  the 
religion  direft  that  his  difciplcs  fliould  be  baptized : 
we  know  that  the  firft  Cliriftians  were  baptized. 
Our  account  makes  him  direct  that  they  fliould  hold 
religious  affemblies.  Onr  accounts  make  the  apof- 
tles  affemble  upon  a  flated  day  in  the  week  :  we  find, 
and  that  from  infor;nation  perfe£lly  independent  of 
our  accounts,  that  the  Chrillians  of  the  firfi;  century 
did  obfcrve  dated  days  of  affembling.  Our  hiilories 
record  the  inftitution  of  the  rite  which  v/e  call  the 
Lord's  Supper,  and  a  com  rand  to  repeat  it  in  per- 
petual fuccefiion  :  we  find,  araongft  the  early  Chrif- 
tians,  the  celebration  of  this  rire  univerfal.  And 
indeed  wc  find  concurring  in  all  the  above-mentioned 
obfervances,  Chriftian  fucieties  ok'  many  different 
nations  and  languages,  removed  froni  one  another 
by  great  diffance  of  ])lace  and  diffimilituJe  of  fitua- 
iHon.     It  is  alfo  e.xircmcly  material  to  remark,  that 

there 


7^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

there  is  no  room  for  infinuating  that  our  books  were* 
fabricated  with  a  fludions  accommodation  to  the 
uf.^ees  which  obtained  at  the  time  they  were  written ; 
that  the  authors  of  the  books  found  the  ufages  efta- 
bliflied,  and  framed  the  flory  to  account  for  their 
original.  The  fcripture  accounts,  efpecially  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  are  too  fliort  and  curfory,  not  to 
fay  too  obfcure,  and,  in  this  view,  deficient,  to  al- 
low a  pi:ioe  for  any  fuch  fufpicion*. 

Amongft  the  proofs  of  the  truth  of  our  propo- 
fition,  viz.  that  the  ftory,  which  we  have  now^  is,  ia 
fubftance,  the  flory  which  the  Chriftians  had  then^ 
or,  in  other  words,  that  the  accounts  in  our  gofpeis 
are,  as  to  their  principal  parts  at  leaft,  the  accounts 
"which  the  apoftles  and  original  teachers  of  the  reli- 
gion delivered,  one  arifes  from  obferving,  that  it 
appears  by  the  gofpeis  ihemfelves,  that  the  flory  was 
public  at  the  time,  that  the  Chriftian  community 
was  already  in  pofTeiTion  of  the  fiibftance  and  princi- 
pal parts  of  the  narrative.  The  gofpeis  wxre  not 
the  original  caufc  of  the  Chriflian  hiftory  being  be- 
lieved, but  were  themfelves  among  the  confequences 
of  that  belief.  This  is  exprefsly  affirmed  by  St.  Luke 
in  his  brief,  but,  as  I  think,  very  important  and  in- 
Oruftive  preface.  "  Forafrauch  ffays  the  evange- 
"  lift)  as  many  have  taken  in  hand  to  fet  forth  in 
"  order  a  declaration  of  thofe  things  which  are  mojl 
*'  furely  belic-vcd  amongft  us,  even  as  they  delr^ered 
"  them  unto  us^  ivhich^jrom  the  beginning,  were  eye- 
"  ivitnejfes  and  mlnifiers  of  the  word ;  it  feemed. 
"  good  to  me  alfo,  having  had  perfect  uaderflanding 

*  The  reader  who  is  converfant  in  thefe  refearches,  by  com- 
paring the  fnort  fcripture  accounts  of  the  Chriftian  rites  above 
mentioned  with  tlie  minute  and  circumftsntial  diredlions  con- 
tained in  the  pretended  apoftolical  conftitulions,  v.nll  fee  the 
force  of  this  obfervatit.n ;  the  difFerence  between  truth  and 
fojgery. 

«  of 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  79 

**  of  all  things  from  the  very  firft,  to  write  unto  thee 
"  in  order,  mod;  excellent  Theophilus,  ihat  thou 
"  mightefl  know  the  certainty  of  thofe  things 
"  ivhcrein  thou  haji  been  in/irit&ed.**  This  fliort 
introduction  tcdifies,  that  the  fubflance  of  the  hif- 
tory,  which  the  evangelift  was  about  to  write,  was 
already  believed  by  Chriftians;  thai  it  was  believed 
upon  the  declarations  of  eye-witnelTes  and  minifters 
of  the  word ;  that  it  formed  the  account  of  their 
religion,  in  v/hich  Chriftians  were  inflru£led;  that 
the  office  which  the  hiftorian  propofed  to  himfelf, 
was  to  trace  each  particular  to  its  origin,  and  to  fix 
the  certainty  of  many  things  which  the  reader  had 
before  heard  of.  In  St.  John's  Gofpel,  the  fame 
point  appears  from  hence,  that  there  arc  fome  prin- 
cipal fafts,  10  which  the  hiftorian  refers,  but  which 
he  does  not  relate.  A  remarkable  inftance  of  this 
kind  is  the  afcenfion^  which  is  not  mentioned  by  St. 
John  in  its  place,  at  the  conclufion  of  his  hiltory, 
but  which  is  plainly  referred  to  in  the  following 
words  of  the  fixth  chapter*:  "  What  and  if  ye  fliall 
"  fee  the  Son  of  man  afcend  up  where  he  was 
"  before.'*  And  ftill  more  pofiiively  in  the  words, 
which  Chrifl:,  according  to  our  evangelift,  fpoke  to 
Mary  after  his  refurrcClion,  *'  Touch  me  not,  for  I 
"  am  not  yet  afcended  to  my  father;  but  go  unto  my 
"  brethren,  and  fay  unto  them,  I  afcend  unto  my 
*'  father  and  your  father,  unto  my  god  and  your 
"  godf."  This  can  be  only  accounted  for  by  the 
fiippofition,  that  St.  John  wrote  under  a  fenfe  of  the 
notoriety  of  Chrift's  afcenfion,  amongfi;  thofe  by 
whom  his  book  was  likely  to  be  read.  The  fame 
account  mufl  alfo  be  given  of  St.  Matrhew's  omilTion 
of  the  fame  important  fiifl.  Ihe  thing  was  very 
well  known,  and  it  did  not  occur  to  the  hiftorian, 

*  Alfo  John  ill.  13.  and  xvi.  28.         f  John  xx-  1 7. 

that 


i^  A  VIEW  OF  nni 

that  It  was  neceflary  to  add  any  particulars  conceffi-* 
rag  it.  It  agrees  alio  with  this  folution,  and  wi;h  no 
other,  that  neither  Maithew  nor  John  difpofe  of  the 
perfon  of  our  Lord  in  any  manner  whatever.  Other 
Intimations  in  St  John's  Gofpel  of  the  then  general 
notoriety  of  the  ftory  are  the  fo'.Jowing;  His  manner 
of  introducing  his  narrative,  (ch.  i.  v.  15.)  "  John 
"  bare  witnefs  of  him,  and  cried,  faying,"  evidently 
prcfuppofcs  that  his  readers  knew  who  John  was. 
His  rapid  parenthetical  reference  to  John's  iraprifon- 
ment,  "  for  John  was  not  yet  caft  into  prifon  *," 
could  only  come  from  a  writer  whofe  mind  was  in 
the  habit  of  confidering  John's  imprifonment  as  per-- 
feflly  notorious.  The  defcription  of  Andrew  by  the 
addirion  "  Simon  Peter's  brother  |,"  takes  it  for 
granted  that  Simon  Peter  was  well  known.  His 
name  had  not  been  mentioned  before.  The  evan- 
gelift's  noticing  j  the  prevailing  mifconflrutStion  of  a 
difcourfe,  which  Chrift  held  with  the  beloved  difci- 
ple,  proves  that  the  charafters  and  the  difcourfe 
were  already  public.  And  the  obfervation  which 
thefe  inilances  afford,  is  of  equal  validity  for  thd 
purpofe  of  the  prefent  argument,  whoever  was  the 
author  of  the  hiftories. 

THESE  four  circumflances,  fird,  the  recognition 
of  the  account  in  its  principal  parts  by  a  feries  of 
fucceeding  writers;  fecondly,  the  total  abfence  of 
any  account  of  the  origin  of  the  religion  totally  dif- 
ferent from  ours;  thirdly,  the  early  and  extenfive 
prevalence  of  rites  and  inftitutions,  which  refult  from 
our  account;  fourthly,  our  account  bearing  in  its 
conftru£i:ion  proof  that  it  is  an  account  of  fa£ls,  which 
were  known  and  believed  at  the  time;  are  fufficient, 
I  conceive,  to  fupport  an  aflurance,  that  the  (lory, 

*  John  iii,  24.         I  Ibid.  I.  40,         X  J^^^^  ^^'^-  24' 

4  ■which 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  $i 

which  we  have  now,  is,  in  general,  the  flory  which 
Chriflians  hcd  at  the  beginning.  I  fay,  in  general; 
by  which  term  I  mean,  that  it  is  the  fame  in  its  tex- 
ture, and  in  its  principal  fa<fts.  For  inftance,  I  make 
no  doubt,  for  the  reafons  above  dated,  but  that  the 
refurre4iion  of  the  founder  of  the  religion  was  always 
a  part  of  the  Chriftian  (lory.  Nor  can  a  doubt  of 
this  remain  upon  the  mind  of  any  one,  who  reflefts 
that  the  refurre<flion  is,  in  fome  form  or  other, 
aflerted,  referred  to,  or  aiTumed,  in  every  Chrifliaa 
writing,  of  every  defcription,  which  have  come 
down  to  us. 

And  if  our  evidence  (lopped  here,  we  {liould  have 
a  ftrong  cafe  to  offer:  for  we  fliould  have  to  allege, 
that,  in  the  reign  of  Tiberius  C^efar,  a  certain  num- 
Iper  of  perfons  fet  about  an  attempt  of  cflablifliing  a 
ne.w  religion  in  the  world;  in  the  profecution  of  which 
purpofe,  they  voluntarily  encountered  great  dangers, 
undertook  great  labours,  fuftained  great  fufferings, 
all  for  a  miraculous  ftory  which  they  publifhed 
wherever  they  came;  and  that  the  refurreflion  of  a 
dead  man,  whom,  during  his  life,  they  had  followed 
and  accompanied,  was  a  conflant  part  of  this  flory, 
I  know  nothing  in  the  above  flatement  which  can, 
with  any  appearance  of  reafon,  be  difputed;  and  I 
know  nothing  in  the  hiflory  of  the  human  fpecies 
fimilar  to  it. 


G  CHAP' 


52  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


CHAP.    viir. 

There  is  fatisfaclory  evidence,  that  many  profejjing  t§ 
be  original  witnejfes  of  the  Chri/iian  Miracles ^ 
paffed  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers,  and  fuffer- 
ings,  voluntarily  undergone  in  attejiation  of  the  ac- 
counts which  they  delivered,  and  folely  in  confe- 
quence  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thefe  accounts  ; 
and  that  they  alfo  fub mitt ed,  from  the  fame  'motives, 
to  nezv  rules  of  conduct. 

J.  HAT  the  {lory,  which  we  have  now 
is,  in  the  main,  the  flory  which  the  apoftles  pub- 
liflied,  is,  I  think,  nearly  certain  from  the  confidera- 
tions  which  have  been  propofed.  Bpt  whether, 
when  ve  come  to  the  particulars  and  the  detail  of 
the  narrative,  the  hiftorical  books  of  the  new  tefta- 
rnent  be  deferving  of  credit  as  hiflories,  fo  that  afaft 
ouo-ht  to  be  accounted  true  becaufe  it  is  found  in 

o 

them;  or  whether  they  are  entitled  to  be  confidered 
as  reprefcniing  the  accounts,  which,  true  or  falfe, 
the  apodles,  publifhed ;  whether  their  authority,  in 
either  ot  thefe  views,  can  be  irufted  to,  is  a  point 
which  neceiTarily  depends  upon  what  we  know  of 
the  books,  and  of  their  author?. 

Now,  in  treating  of  this  part  of  our  argument,  the 
firft,  and  a  raofl:  material,  obfervation  upon  the  fub- 
jecl  is,  that,  fuch  was  the  fituation  of  the  authors 
to  v;hom  the  four  gofpels  are  afcribed,  that,  if  any 
one  of  the  four  be  genuine,  it  is  fufficient  for  our 
purpofe.  The  received  author  of  the  firfl:  was  an 
original  apoftie  and  emilTary  of  the  religion.  The 
received  author  of  the  fecond  was  an  inhabitant  of 
Jerufalem  at  the  time,  to  whofe  houfe  the  apoftles 

were 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  83 

were  wont  to  refort,  and  himfelf  an  attendant  upon 
one  of  tlie  moft  eminent  of  that  number.  The  re- 
ceived author  of  the  third  was  a  ftatcd  companion 
and  fellow-traveller  of  the  moft  aflive  of  all  the 
teachers  of  the  religion,  and  in  the  courfe  of  his 
travels  frequently  in  the  fociety  of  the  original 
apofHes.  Xhc  received  author  of  the  fourth,  as  well 
as  of  the  firft  was  one  of  thefe  apoftles.  No  ftronger 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  a  hiilory  can  arife  from  the 
fituation  of  the  hiftorian  than  what  is  here  offered. 
The  authors  of  all  the  hiftories  lived  at  the  time  and 
upon  the  fpot.  The  authors  of  two  of  the  hiftories 
were  prefent  at  many  of  the  fcenes  which  they  def- 
cribe;  eye-witneffcs  of  the  fa<5fs,  ear-witneffes  of  the 
difcourfes;  writing  from  perfonal  knowled;T;e  and 
recolleftion,  and,  what  ftrcngthens  their  teftimony, 
writing  upon  a  fubjecl  in  which  their  minds  were 
deeply  engaged,  and  in  which,  as  they  muft  have 
been  very  frequently  repeating  the  accounts  to  others, 
the  paffages  of  the  hiftory  would  be  kept  continually 
alive  in  their  memory.  Whoever  reads  the  gofpcls 
(and  they  ought  to  be  read  for  this  particular  pur- 
pofe)  will  find  in  them  not  merely  a  general  affirma- 
tion of  miraculous  powers,  but  detailed  circumftan- 
tial  accounts  of  miracles,  with  fpecification  of  time, 
place,  and  perfons;  and  thefe  accounts  many  and 
various.  In  the  gofpels,  therefore,  which  bear  the 
names  of  Matthew  and  John,  thefe  narratives,  if  they 
really  proceed  fronn  thefe  men,  muft  either  be  true, 
as  far  as  the  fidelity  of  human  recolleiStion  is  ufually 
to  be  depended  upon,  that  is,  muft  be  true  in  fub- 
ftance,  and  in  their  principal  parts,  (which  is  fuffi- 
cient  for  the  purpofe  of  proving  a  fupernatural 
agency)  or  they  muft  be  wilful  and  meditated  falfe- 
hoods.  Yet  the  writers  who  fabricated  and  uttered 
thefe  falfehoods,  if  they  be  fiich,  are  of  the  number 
of  thofc  who,  unlefs  the  whole  contexture  of  the 

G  2  Chriftian 


^4  A  vi$:w  b?  Tffl 

Ciirlflian  fVdry  be  a  dreatti,  facrffieed  thiel'r  esfe  atid 
Ik'fety  in  the  csnfe,  aiid  for  a  purpofe  the  mod  iticdn- 
Ment  that  is  polTible  with  difhoneft  intentions.  They 
tvere  villains  for  no  end  but  to  teach  honefty,  ar.d 
"rtiartyrs  without  the  leall  profpecl  of  honour  ^r 
advantage. 

The  gofpeh  %hrch  bear  the  name  of  Mark  and 
l.uke,  ahhougli  not  the  narratives  of  eye-witneffes, 
lire,  if  genuine,  removed  from  that  only  bjr  one 
degree.  They  are  the  narratives  of  contemporary 
Writers,  of  writers  therafelves  mixinfc^  with  the'bufi- 
iiefs,  one  of  the  two  probably  living  in  the  place  t^hich 
was  the  principal  fcene  of  a£Vion,  both  living  in 
habits  of  fociety  and  and  rorrefpoftdence  with  thdfe 
who  had  been  prefeilt  at  ihe  tranfa6Vibns  which  they 
relate.  The  latter  of  them  accordingly  telis  us,  ( 3titi 
\vith  app'ii-erit  'iincerify,  becaufe  he  tells  it  Without 
^pretendihg  foperfonal  ktiowledge,  and  vi^ithout  chim- 
ing for  his  Work  greater  authority  than  belonged  to 
it)  that  the  rtiitigs  Which  "were  believed  amoiigft 
Chridiaris  c^imefro'fn  tbofe  who  from  the  beginning 
AVere  eye-witnelTes  and  miniflers  of  the  word ;  that 
tfe  feid  traded  up  accounts  to  their  fource;  'and  that 
he  V/tis  prepared  to  inftruft  his  reader  in  the  certainty 
of  the  things  ^vhich  he  related*.  Very  few  hiftories 
"ffe  fo'cibfe  to  their  fafls;  very  few  hiftorians  are  fo 
'ii'early  connected  with  the  fubjeft  of  their  narrative.  Or 
poffeis  fuch  means  of  authentic  information,  as  thefe, 

Thefituationof  the  writers  applies  to  the  the  truth 
of  the  fafts  which  they  record.     But  at  prefent  we 

*  Why  fhoiild  hot  the  candid  and  ttiodefl  preface  of  this 
hiftoffan  be  believed  as  w^'ell  as  rhat  "which  Dion  Caffius  prefixes 
to  his  life  of  Commodus.  '*  Thefe  things  and  the  following 
"  I  write  not  from  the  report  of  others,  but  from  my  own 
*'  knowledge  and  obfervation."  I  fee  no  reafon  to  doubt  but 
that  both  paflages  defcribe  truly  enough  the  fituation  of  the 
aiithors. 

life 


EVIDENCi:S  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ^ 

ufc  thdr  tcdimony  co  a  point  fomewbat  (hort  of  this, 
Rainely,  liiat  the  fafts  recprdvi^t  it\  the  gofpels, 
whether  true  pr  fulfe,  arp  the  fuft?,  ^nd  :\ic  fort  ot 
ii,i<fts  whkh  the  origirial  preachers  of  the  rchgion  al- 
icgpd.  Strivtly  fpeakinjr,  I  am  coucerned  only  to 
liiow,  \\\kM  what  the  gofpels  contain,  is  the  fame  as 
wliat  the  ^poftles  preached.  Now  how  Hands  the 
prppf  of  this  point  ?  A  fet  of  men  \yen;  about  the 
Wprld  publifhing  a  ftpry  compofed  pf  Riir^cijlpu^ 
accounts  (for  rniraculou:^  from  the  very  nature  and 
exigency  of  the  cafp  they  mull:  have  beep)  and,  npon 
■ije  jlrength  of  thcfc  accoqnts,  called  upon  i^iankind 
tp  quit  the  religions  in  which  they  liad  been  edu- 
cated, ^nd  tp  take  up,  from  thencefprth,  a  new 
vHem  of  opinions,  and  Pew  rwle^  of  g-fjiion.  Wh;^t 
i-.  mpre,  in  atteftation  of  thefe  accounts,  that  is,  in 
Uipport  of  an  inftitntion  of  which  thefe  accounts  were 
the  foundation,  tlie  fame  ipen  Yp|uptarily  expofed 
thcmfeU'cs  to  haraiTing  aijd  perpetual  labours,  dangers 
and  fuffcrings.  We  want  tp  j^ppw  what  thefe  accoiipt^ 
were.  "VVe  have  thf  particular?,  i.e.  many  particulars, 
from  two  of  rheir  own  nurobjer.  Wt;  have  thejA 
from  an  attendant  of  out  or  jthe  rjumber,  and  \ylio 
there  is  rejjfon  to  beJLeye  w.a?  aij  inh^bitaiit  of" 
JeryfuJeip  at  the  time.  We  have  tiiera  from  a 
foiTtb  writer,  who  acconapaijijed  the  mp.il  laborious 
mjfiionary  of  the  jn((tji.ii>tioA  m  hk  tr^y.eis.;  who  In 
the  courfe  of  thefe  travels  w^s  frequently  brought 
iuto  the  fociety  pf  the  red;  and  whp,  let  it  be  ob- 
ferved,  begiijs.  his  niirra.tiy.e  by  ^telling  us,  that  he  is 
about  to  relate  the  ihini^s  which  had  been  delivered 
by  thofe  who  were  miuillc.rs  of  the  word,  and  eve- 
witneiTes  pf  the  faG.  I  do  pot  k^Qw  what  uiifp.rtna- 
tion  can  be  more  fi\tisfa£tory  than  tjiis.  We  tTiay, 
perhaps,  perceive  liie  force  and  value  of  it  more 
fenfibly,  if  we  rcile£l  how  inquiring  we  flipuld  have 
been  if  we  had  wanted  it.  Siij^^pring  it  to  be 
G  3  fufficitnily 


86  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

fufficiently  proved,  that  the  religion,  now  profeffed 
among  us,  owed  its  original  to  the  preaching  and 
miniftry  of  a  number  of  men,  who,  about  eighteen 
centuries  ago,  fet  forth  in  the  world  a  new  fyllem  of 
religious  opinions,  founded  upon  certain  extraor- 
dinary things  which  they  related  of  a  wonderful  per- 
fon  who  had  appeared  in  Judasa :  fuppofe  it  to  be 
alfo  fufficiently  proved,  that,  in  the  courfe  and  pro- 
fecution  of  their  miniftry,  thefe  men  had  fubje^led 
themfclves  to  extreme  hardihips,  fatigue,  and  peril  ; 
but  fuppofe  the  accounts  which  they  publiflied  had 
not  been  committed  to  writing  till  fome  ages  after 
their  times,  or  at  leafl;  that  no  hiflories,  but  what 
had  been  compofed  fome  ages  afterwards,  had  reach- 
ed our  hands  ;  we  fliould  have  faid,  and  with  reafon, 
that  we  were  willing  to  believe  thefe  men  under  the 
cir  umftances  in  which  they  delivered  their  tefti- 
raony,  but  that  we  did  not,  at  this  day,  know  with 
fufficient  evidence  what  their  teftimony  was.  Had 
we  received  the  particulars  of  it  from  any  of  their 
own  number,  from  any  of  thofe  wb.o  lived  and  con- 
verfed  with  them,  from  any  of  their  hearers,  or 
even  from  any  of  their  contemporaries,  we  fliould 
have  had  foraething  to  rely  upon.  Now,  if  our 
books  bc='  genuine,  we  have  all  thefe.  We  have 
the  Very  fpecies  of  information  which,  as  it  appears 
to  me,  our  imagination  would  have  carved  out  for 
us,  if  it  had  been  wanting. 

But  I  have  faid,  that,  if  any  one  of  the  four  gof- 
pels  be  genuine,  we  have  not  only  dire6i:  hiilorical 
tcilimony  to  tht  point  we  contend  for,  but  teftimony 
which,  fo  far  as  that  point  is  concerned,  cannot  rea- 
fonibly  be  rejcfted.  If  the  firft  gofpel  v/as  really 
written  by  Matthew,  we  have  the  narrative  of  one 
of  the  number  from  which  to  judge  what  were  the 
'^.■racies,  and  the  kind  of  miracles,  which  the  apof- 
tles  attributed  to  Jefus.     Although,  for  argument's 

fake. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  87 

Take,  and  only  for  argument's  fake,  we  fhould  al- 
low that  this  gofpel  had  been  erroncoufly  afiribcd 
to  Matthew,  yet  if  the  gofpel  of  St.  John  be  genu- 
ine, the  obfervation  holds  wirh  no  Itfs  ftrcngth. 
Again,  although  the  gofpels  both  of  Matthew  and 
John  could  be  fuppofed  to  be  fpurious,  yet,  if  the 
gofpel  of  St.  Luke  was  truly  the  compofition  of  that 
perfon,  or  of  any  perfon,  be  his  naine  what  it  might, 
who  was  aftually  in  the  fituation  in  which  tlie  author 
of  that  gofpel  profeffes  himfelf  to  have  been;  or  if  the 
gofpel  v/hich  bears  the  name  of  Mark  really  proceeded 
from  him  ;  we  itill,  even  upon  the  lowetl  fappoii:ion, 
poflefs  the  accounts  of  one  writer  at  leaf!:,  who  was 
not  only  contemporary  with  the  apoftles,  but  aflo- 
ciated  with  them  in  their  miniftry  ;  which  autho- 
rity feems  fufficient,  when  the  queflion  is  fimply 
what  it  was  which  ihefe  apoflles  advanced. 

I  think  it  material  to  have  this  well  noticed.  The 
New  Teftament  contains  a  great  number  of  diftinft 
writings,  the  genuinenefs  of  any  one  of  v/nich  is 
almofl:  fufficient  to  prove  the  truth  oFthe  religion  : 
it  contains,  however,  four  diftindl  hiflories,  the  ge- 
nuinenefs of  any  one  of  which  is  perfectly  fufficient. 
If,  therefore,  we  mud  be  confidered  as  encountering 
the  rilk  of  error  in  affigning  the  authors  of  our 
books,  we  are  entitled  to  the  advanrage  of  fo  many 
feparate  probabilities.  And  although  it  (liould  ap- 
pear that  fome  of  the  evangelifts  had  feen  and  ufed 
each  other's  works,  this  difcovery,  whilft  it  fubtraflg 
indeed  from  their  characl:er  as  ttftimrnies  ftric^tly  in- 
dependent, diminilhes,  I  conceive,  little,  either  their 
feparate  authority,  by  which  1  mean  the  auihoriry 
of  any  one  that  is  genuine,  or  their  mutual  conlir- 
mation.  For  let  the  mod:  difadvantageous  fuppofi- 
tion  poffible  be  made  concerning  them  ;  let  it  be  al- 
lowed, what  1  fliould  have  no  grc^at  difficulty  in  ad- 
mitting, that  Mark  compiled  his  hiflory  almoft  en- 

G  4  *     tirely 


Si  A  VIEW  (#  rm 

tirely  from  tliofe  of  Matthew  and  Luke ;  and  let  it 
2tHb,  for  a  moment,  be  fuppofed,  that  thefe  hiftories 
were  not,  in  fa£t,  written  by  Matthew  and  Luke  ; 
yet  if  it  be  true  that  Mark,  a  contemporary  of  the 
apoftles,  living  in  habits,  of  focicty  With  the  apoftles, 
a  fellow  labourer  with  fome  of  them  ;  if,  I  fay,  it  be 
true  that  this  perfon  made  the  compilation,  it  fol- 
lows, that  the  Writings  from  Which  he  made  it  exiftc'd 
in  the  times,  of  the  apodles,  and  riot  oiily  fo,  but 
that  tliey  were  then  in  fuch  efteerii  and  credit,  that 
a  companion  of  the  apoftles  formed  a  hiftory  out  of 
them.  Let  the  gofpel  of  Mark  be  called  an  tpi- 
tome  of  that  of  Matthew  ;  if  a  perfon  in  the  fituation 
in  whith  Mark  is  defcribed  to  h'aie  beeii  a'^uaily 
tnade  the  epitom.e,  it  affords  the  ftrongeft  pbffib'fe 
atteftation  to  the  character  of  the  original.  Again, 
parallellifms  in  fentehte^,  in  wordsf,  dnd  rii  the  order 
of  words,  have  Been  traced  oiit  between  the  gofpel 
of  jVlattheW  and  that  of  Luke ;  which  concurrence 
taimb't  eafily  te  fekplained  6ther\vife  than  b^  fop- 
pofihg,  either  that  Luke  had  cohfulted  Matthew's 
hiftory,  or,  what  appears  to  me  in  no  wife  incredi- 
ble, that  minutes  of  foihe  of  Chtift's  difcourfes,  as 
Well  as  brief  memoirs  of  fome  paffages  of  his  life, 
had  been  committed  to  writing  at  the  time,  and  that 
itich  written  accounts  had  by  both  authors  been  ot- 
tiifibnally  admitted  into  their  hiftories.  Either  fup- 
pofition  is  perfectly  confiftent  with  the  lacknowledged 
formatiori  of  St.  Luke's  narrative,  who  profeffes  not 
to  write  as  an  eye-wltiiefs,  but  to  have  inveftigated 
the  original  of  every  account  which  he  delivers  ;  ia 
other  Words,  to  have  collefted  them  from  fuch  do- 
cuments and  teftimonies  as  he,  who  had  the  beft 
opportunities  of  making  enquiries,  judged  to  be  au- 
thentic. Xhfrcfore,  allowing  that  this  Writer  alfo, 
in  fome  inftances,  borrowed  from  the  gofpel  which 
wb  c^lL  MattheW*s,  <ind  once  fnoire  allowing,  for  the 

fake 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  89 

lake  of  ftiuing  the  argument,  tlvat  the  gofpel  was 
not  the  produ(hiort  of  the  author  to  whom  we  iifcribe 
it,  yet  dill  we  have,  in  St.  Luke*s  gofpel,  a  hiftory 
given  by  a  writer  immediately  connetrted  with  the 
tranfa^lion,  with  the  witneffes  of  it,  with  the  pcr- 
fons  engaged  in  it,  and  compofcd  of  materials  which 
that  perfon,  thus  fituated,  deemed  to  he  fafe  {ources 
of  intelligence  :  in  other  words,  whatever  fuppofition 
be  made  concerning  any  or  all  the  other  gcfpels, 
if  St.  Luke's  gofpel  be  genuine,  we  have  in  it  a  cre- 
dible evidence  of  the  point  which  we  maintain.  The 
gofpel  according  to  St.  John  appears  to  be,  and  is 
on  all  hands  allowed  to  be,  an  independent  teilimo- 
ny,  ftriftly  and  properly  fo  called.  Notwithltand- 
ing,  therefore,  any  connei^ion,  or  fuppofed  con- 
nection, between  foine  oi  the  gofpels,  1  again  re- 
peat, what  I  before  faid,  that,  if  any  one  of  the  four 
be  genuine,  We  have  in  that  one,  ftrong  reafon  from 
the  char:\(^er  and  fitnation  of  the  writer  to  believe, 
that  we  poffefs  the  accounts  which  the  original  emif- 
faries  of  the  religion  delivered. 

II.  In  treating  of  the  written  evidences  of  Chri- 
flianity^  next  to  their  feparate,  we  vire  to  confider 
their  aggregate  authority.  Now  there  is  in  the 
Evangelic  hillory  a  cumulation  of  teflimony,  which 
belongs  hardly  to  iatiy  other,  but  \vhich  our  habitual 
mode  of  reading  the  fcriptures  fometimes  caufes  us 
10  overlook.  When  a  palT.ige,  in  any  wife  rehting 
to  the  hiftory  of  Chiift,  is  read  to  us  out  of  the 
cpiftle  of  Clemens  Romanus,  the  epif^les  of  Igna- 
tius, of  Polycarp,  or  from  any  other  writing  of  that 
ilge,  We  afe  immediately  fenfible  of  the  confirmation 
which  it  affords  to  the  fcripture  account.  Here  is 
a  hew  witnefs.  Now  if  we  had  been  accudoaicd 
to  read  the  gofpel  of  Matthew  alone,  and  had  known 
that  of  Luke  only  as  the  generality  of  Chrillians 
know  the  writings  of  ;he  apoftolical  fathers,  that 

is. 


99  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

is,  had  known  that  fuch  a  writin,^  was  extant  and 
acknowledged  ;  when  we  came,  for  the  firil  time, 
to  look  into  what  it  contained,  and  found  mnny  of 
the  facls  which  Matthew  recorded,  recorded  alfo 
there,  many  other  fa6ls  of  a  ilmilar  nature  added, 
and  throughout  the  whole  work  the  fame  general 
feries  of  tranfadions  (tated,  and  the  fame  general 
character  of  the  pcrfon  who  was  the  fubjeft  of  the 
hiftory  preferved,  1  apprehend  that  we  fliould  feel 
our  minds  flrongly  impreifed  by  this  difcovery  of 
frefli  evrdencc.  We  foould  feel  a  renewal  of  the 
fame  fertimcnt  in  Hrll  reading  the  gofpel  of  St.  John. 
That  of  St.  Mark  perhaps  would  ilrike  us  as  an 
abridgment  of  the  hillory  with  which  we  v/ere  al- 
ready acquainted  ;  but  we  lliould  naturally  rcfleft, 
that,  it  that  hiftory  was  abridged  by  fuch  a  perfon 
as  Mark,  or  by  any  perfon  of  fo  early  an  age,  it 
afforded  one  of  the  higheO:  poiTible  atteffations  to 
the  value  of  the  work.  This  fuccefiive  difclofure  of 
proof  would  leave  us  affured,  that  there  muft  have 
been  at  leafi  fonie  reality  in  a  ftory  which,  not  one, 
but  many,  had  taken  in  hand  to  commit  to  writing. 
The  very  exiilence  of  four  feparate  hiflories  would 
fatisfy  us  that  the  fubje^l  had  a  foundation  •,  and 
Y/hen,  amidll  the  variety  which  the  different  infor- 
mation of  the  different  writers  had  fupplied  to  their 
accounts,  or  which  their  different  choice  and  judge- 
ment in  felecling  their  materials  had  produced,  we 
obfcrved  many  facts  to  ftand  ihe  fame  in  all ;  of 
thefe  fa^ls,  at  leaft,  we  fliould  conclude,  that  they 
were  fixed  in  their  credit  and  publicity.  If,  after 
this,  we  fhould  come  to  the  knowledge  of  a  diflinft 
hidory,  and  that  alfo  of  the  fame  age  v/ith  the  rcfl, 
taking  up  the  fubje«ft  v.here  the  others  had  left  it, 
and  carrying  on  d  narrative  of  the  cffefts  produced 
in  the  world  by  the  extraordinary  caufes  of  which 
we  had  already  been  informed,  and  which  effects 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  91 

fubfift  at  this  day,  we  fliould  think  the  reality  of  the 
original  llory  in  no  little  degree  eftablilhed  by  this 
fuppleinent.  If  fubfequent  inquiries  Ihould  bring  to 
our  knowledge,  one  after  another,  letters  written  by 
fome  of  the  principal  agents  in  the  bufuiefs,  upoa 
the  bufinefs,  and  during  the  time  of  their  activity 
and  concern  in  it,  alTumino-  all  alon-r  and  recop^nizintr 
the  original  ftory,  agitating  the  quellions  that  arofe 
out  of  it,  prciling  the  obligations  which  refulted 
from  it,  giving  advice  and  directions  to  thofe  who 
.a6led  upon  it,  I  conceive  that  we  fliould  find,  in 
every  one  of  thefe,  a  rtill  further  fupport  to  the  con- 
clufion  we  had  formed.  At  prefent  the  weight  of 
this  fucceflive  confirmation  U,  in  a  great  meafure, 
unperceived  by  u?.  The  evidence  does  not  appear 
to  us,  what  it  is  ;  for,  being  from  our  infancy  accuf- 
tomed  to  regard  the  New  Tcfl:ament  as  one  book, 
we  fee  in  it  only  one  tefl:imony.  The  whole  occurs  to 
us  as  a  fmgle  evidence ;  and  its  different  parts,  not 
as  diilinCl  atteffations,  but  as  different  portions  only 
of  the  fame.  Yet  in  this  conception  of  the  fubje<5l: 
we  are  certainly  millaken  ;  for  the  very  difcrepan- 
cies  amongfl:  the  feveral  documents  which  form  our 
volume  prove,  if  all  other  proof  w.is  wanting,  that 
in  their  origin;d  rompofition  they  were  feparate,  and 
mofl:  of  them  independent  productions. 

If  we  difpofc  our  ideas  in  a  dilTerent  order,  the 
matter  (lands  thus : — Whilrt:  the  tranfadion  was  re- 
cent, and  the  original  witntfles  were  at  hand  to  re- 
late it ;  and  whilll  the  apoftles  were  bufied  in  preach- 
ing and  travelling,  in  colleiTting  difciples,  in  forming 
and  regulating  Societies  of  converts,  in  fupporting 
ihemfclves  againft  oppofition  ;  whilfl:  they  excrcifed 
their  miniilry  under  the  harafTmgs  of  frequent  per- 
fecution,  and  in  a  (late  of  aimod  continual  alarm, 
it  is  not  probable  that,  in  this  engaged,  anxious,  and 
unfettled  condition  of  life,  they  would  think  imme- 
diately 


^2  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

diutely  of  writing  hiflories  for  the  information  of  the 
public  or  of  pofteriry*.  But  it  is  very  probable 
that  emergcRcies  might  draw,  from  fome  of  thrm, 
occafional  letters  upon  the  fafcjccl:  of  their  million  to 
converts,  or  to  focieties  of  converts,  with  which 
they  Vv'ere  connected  ;  or  that  they  might  addrefs 
written  difcourfes  and  exhortations  to  the  dilciples 
of  the  inflitution  at  large,  wbicih  would  be  received 
and  read  with  a  refpeft  proportioned  to  the  character 
of  the  writer.  Accounts  in  the  mean  time  would 
get  abroad  of  the  extraordinary  things  that  had 
been  palTing,  written  with  different  degrees  of  infor- 
mation  and  ccrreftnefs.  The  extenfion  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  fociety,  which  could  no  longer  be  inftrui^cd  by 
a  perfonal  intercourfe  Vviih  the  apoftles,  and  the  pof- 
fible  circulation  of  imperfeft  or  erroneous  narra- 
tives, wou'd  foon  teach  fome  amongil  them  the  ex- 
pediency of  frnding  forth  authentic  iTiemoirs  of  the 
life  and  do<51:riiie  of  their  mafter.  \/iien  accounts 
appeared,  authorized  by  the  name,  and  credit,  and 
fitua'.ion  of  the  writers,  recommended  or  recognized 
by  the  apoRles  and  firfl  preachers  cf  lUc  religion, 
or  found  to  coincide  with  what  the  apoilks  and  firll 
preachers  of  the  religion  had  taught,  other  accounts 
would  fall  into  difufe  and  negleft  ;  wkiill  thefc-, 
maintaining  their  reputation  (as,  if  genui«e  and  v/ell 
founded,  they  would  do)  under  the  ted  of  time,  en- 
quiry, and  contradiction,  might  be  expe^ed  to  make 
their  way  into  the  hands  of  ChriHians  of  all  coun- 
tries of  the  world.  This  feems  the  natural  progrefs 
of  the  bufmefs ;   and  with  this  the  records  in  our 

*  This  thought  occurred  to  Eafebius — *<  Nor  were  the 
*  apoftles  of  Chrift  greatly  conecrned  about  the  writing  of 
*'  books,  being  engaged  in  a  more  excellent  xniniftry,  which  is 
«'  above  all  human  power."  Ecc.  Hift.  1.  iii.  c.  24.  The 
fame  confid^raiion  accounts  alio  for  the  paucity  of  Chriftian 
writings  in  the  firft  century  of  its  sera. 

poffeffion, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  93 

poflWTion,  unci  the  evidence  concerning  them,  cor- 
rcfpond.  Wc  have  remaining  in  the  iirft  place, 
many  letters  of  th:  kind  above  defcribed,  which 
have  been  prelcrvcd  "  ith  a  care  and  fidelity  anfwer- 
in.^  to  the  refpeft  wr li  which  we  may  fuppofe  that 
•Airh  iertcrs  would  be  received.     Bur  as  thcfc  letters 

•"."  not  Avrittcn  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  Chrif- 

:;in  religion,  in  the  fcnfe  in  which  we  recijard  that 

T'letVion,    nor   to   convey    inforn^.ation  of    fafts,   ot 

.'hioh'thnfe  ro  -whom  the  lest-crs  were  written  had 

.oetii  prt^/ioufly  informed.;   we  are  not  to  look  in 

rhCTT.   for   any  ihino   more  than  incidental  allufions 

tiie  Chriftian  hiftory.  We  are  able,  however, 
to  !5ither  from  thefe  documents  various  particular 
atteftations  which  have  been  already  enumerated  ; 
and  this  is  a  fpecics  of  ■'written  evidence,  as  far  as 
it  goes,  in  the  higheil  degree  fatisfa£i:ory,  and  iti 
point  of  time  pcrlraps  the  firfl.  But  for  our  more 
circumflantial  information  we  have,  in  the  next 
place,  five  direft  bijiorics^  bearing  the  names  of  per- 
fons  acquainted,  by  their  fituation,  with  the  truth 
of  what  they  relate,  and  three  of  them  purporting, 
in  the  very  body  of  the  narrative,  to  be  written  by 
fuch  perfons :  of  which  books  we  know  that  fomc 
were  ill  the  hands  of  thofe  who  were  contempo- 
raries of  the  upoilles,  and  that,  in  the  age  immedi- 
ately pofterior  to  that,  they  were  in  the  hands,  we 
may  fay,  of  every  one,  and  received  by  Chriitians 
with  fo  much  refpe^l  and  deference,  as  to  be  con- 
ftantly  quoted  and  referred  to  by  them  without  any 
doubt  of  the  truth  of  their  accounts.  They  were 
treated  as  fu€h  hidories,  proceeding  from  fuch  au- 
thorities, might  expCiH:  to  be  treated.  In  the  pre- 
face to  one  of  our  hiflories  we  have  intimationr. 
left  us  of  the  cxiilence  of  forae  ancient  accounts 
which  are  now  loft.  There  is  nothing  in  this  cir- 
cumflance  that  can  furprife  u?.     It  wa^  to  be  ex- 

peftcJ 


94  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

pefted  from  the  magnitude  and  novelty  of  the  oc* 
cafion  that  fuch  accounts  would  fwarm.  When 
better  accounts  came  forth,  thefe  died  away.  Our 
prefent  hiftories  fuperfeded  others.  They  foon  ac- 
quired a  chara6ler  and  eftabliilied  a  reputation  which 
does  not  appear  to  have  belonged  to  any  other  : 
that,  at  lead:,  can  be  proved  concerning  them,  which 
cannot  be  proved  concerning  any  other. 

But  to  return  to  the  point  which  led  to  thefe  re- 
flections. By  confidering  our  records  in  either  of 
the  two  views  in  which  v/e  have  reprefentcd  them, 
we  lliall  perceive  that  we  poffefs  a  colledion  of  proofs, 
and  not  a  naked  or  folitary  teftimony  ;  and  that  the 
written  evidence  is  of  fuch  a  kind,  and  comes  to  us 
in  fuch  a  ftate,  as  the  natural  order  and  progrcfs  of 
things,  in  the  infancy  of  the  inftiiution,  might  be 
expefted  to  produce. 

Thirdly  ;  The  genuinenefs  of  the  hiftorical  books 
of  the  New  Teftaroent  is  undoubtedly  a  point  of 
importance,  becaufe  the  ftrength  of  their  evidence 
is  augmented  by  our  knowledge  of  the  fituation  of 
their  authors,  their  relation  to  the  ful-ijecl,  and  the 
part  which  they  fuflained  in  the  tranfacHon  :  and  the 
teftimonies  vrhich  we  ar-e  able  to  produce  compofe  a 
firm  ground  of  perfuafion  that  the  gofpels  were  writ- 
ten by  the  perfons  whofe  names  they  bear.  Never- 
thelefs  I  mull  be  allowed  to  flate,  that,  to  the  argu- 
ment which  I  am  endeavouring  to  maintain,  this 
point  is  not  eflential ;  I  mean,  io  effeniiai  as  that 
the  fate  of  the  argument  depends  upon  it.  The 
queftion  before  us  is,  whether  the  gofpels  exhibit 
the  {lory  which  the  apoflles  and  iirfl  eraiffaries  of 
religion  publilhed  ;  and  for  which  they  acled  and 
fuffered  in  the  manner,  in  which,  for  fome  miracu- 
lous flory  or  other,  they  did  aft  and  fuifer.  Now 
let  us  fuppofe  that  we  polfeifed  no  other  information 
concerning  thefe  books  than  that  they  v.cre  written 

by 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  95 

by  early  difciples  of  Chriflianity ;  that  they  were 
known  and  read  during  the  time,  or  near  the  time, 
of  the  original  apoHles  of  the  religion  ;  that  by 
Chriltians  whom  the  apoflles  inflrufted,  by  focieties 
of  Chriflians  which  the  apoftles  founded,  thefe  books 
ivere  received^  (by  which  term  "  received"  I  meaa 
that  they  were  believed  to  contain  authentic  accounts 
of  the  traiifaftion  upon  which  the  religion  refted, 
and  accounts  which  were  accordingly  ufed,  repeated, 
and  relied  upon)  this  reception  would  be  a  valid 
proof  that  thefe  books,  whoever  were  the  authors 
of  them,  muit  have  accorded  with  what  the  apoflles 
taught.  A  reception  by  the  firft  race  of  Chriftians 
is  evidence  that  they  agreed  with  what  the  firft 
teachers  of  the  religion  delivered.  In  particular,  if 
they  had  not  agreed  with  what  the  apoflles  them- 
felves  preached,  how  could  they  have  gained  credit 
in  churches  and  focieiies  which  the  apoflles  efla- 
bliHied  ? 

Now  the  faifl  of  their  early  exiflencc,  and  not 
only  of  their  exillence  but  their  repiuation,  is  made 
out  by  fome  ancient  tellimonies  which  do  not  happen 
to  fpecify  the  names  of  the  writers  :  add  to  which, 
what  hath  been  already  hinted,  that  two  otu  of  the 
four  gofpels  contain  averments  in  the  body  of  the 
hiflory,  which,  though  they  do  not  difclofe  tlie 
names,  fix  the  time  and  fituation  of  the  authors, 
viz.  that  one  was  written  by  an  e^e-witnefs  of  the 
fufFerings  of  Chrifl,  the  other  by  a  contemporary  of 
the  apoflles.  In  the  gofpel  of  St  John  (xix.  ^tS'^-* 
after  defcribing  the  crucifixion,  with  the  particular 
circumflance  of  piercin^r  Chrifl's  fide  with  a  fpear, 
the  hillcrinn  adds,  as  from  himfelf,  "  and  he  that 
"  faw  it  bare  record,  and  his  record  is  true,  and 
*'  he  knoweth  that  he  faith  true,  that  ye  might  bc- 
"  lievc."  Again,  (xxi.  24.)  after  relating  a  con- 
verfation  which  pafied  between  Peter  and  the  difci- 
2  pie. 


^6  A  Vi^W  OF  THE 

pie,  as  it  is  -there  exprefTed,  whom  Jefus  loved,  it  ^ 
added,  "  this  is  the  difciple  which  cefttfieth  of  tbefe 
*■*  things  and  wrote  thefe  thing«5."  This  teftimony, 
let  it  be  remarked,  is  not  the  lefs  worthy  of  regard, 
becaufe  it  is  in  one  view  imperfe6l.  The  name  is  not 
mentioned,  which,  if  a  fraudulent  purpofe  had  been 
intended,  would  have  been  done.  The  third  of  our 
prefent  gofpels  purports  to  have  been  written  by  the 
perfon  who  wrote  the  A6ls  of  the  Apoftles  ;  in  which 
latter  hiftory,  or  rather  latter  part  of  the  fame  hif- 
tory,  the  author,  by  ufmg  in  various  places  the  firft: 
perfon  plural,  declares  himfelf  to  have  been  a  con- 
temporary of  all,  and  a  companion  of  one  <jf  the 
original  preachers  of  the  religion. 


■t  4.iUii  laWD.Pi 


CHAP.    ]X. 

Thiereis  fatisfd3ory  evidence  that  many  profejjtn^  to 
be  original  witnejfes  of  the  Chrijiian  Miracles, 
pajfed  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers  and  fuffer- 
ings,  vrAiintariiy  undergone  in  attejiation  of  the 
accounts  which  they  delivered,  andfolely  in  confe- 
quence  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thofe  accounts  ; 
and  that  they  alfo  fubmitted,from  the  fame  motives  y 
to  new  rides  of  conduct. 

OF  THE  AUTHENTICITY  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

IN  O  T  forgetting,  therefore,  what  cre- 
dit is  due  to  the  evangelic  hiilory,  fuppofmg  even 
any  one  of  the  four  gofpels  to  be  genuine  ;  what 
credit  is  due  to  the  gofpels,  even  fuppofmg  nothing 
to  be  known  concerning  them  but  that  they  were 

written 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  97 

written  by  early  difciok's  of  tlic  religion,  and  re- 
ceived with  deference  by  early  Chriflian  churches ; 
more  efpecially  not  forgetting  what  credit  is  due  to 
the  New  TelVament  in  its  capacity  of  cumulative  evi- 
dence ;  we  now  proceed  to  Ihite  the  proper  and  dif- 
tincH:  proofs,  which  fliow  not  only  the  general  value 
of  thcfe  records,  but  their  fpecific  authority,  and  the 
high  probability  there  is  that  they  a<5luaily  came  from 
the  perfons  whofe  names  they  bear. 

There  are,  however,  a  few  preliminary  reflections, 
by  which  v/e  may  drav/  up  with  more  regularity 
the  propofitions,  upon  which  the  clofe  and  particular 
difcufiion  of  the  fubje6l  depends.  Of  which  nature 
are  the  following  : 

I.  We  are  able  to  produce  a  great  number  of 
ancient  juanufcripts,  found  in  many  diiTerent  coun- 
tries, and  in  countries  widely  diilant  from  each 
other,  all  of  them  anterior  to  the  art  of  printing, 
fome  certainly  fevcn  or  eight  hundred  years  old,  and 
fome  which  have  been  preferved  probably  above  a 
thoufand  years*.  We  have  alfo  many  ancient  ver- 
ftons  of  thcfe  books,  and  fome  of  them  into  languaejes 
which  are  not  at  prelent,  nor  for  many  ages  have 
been,  fpoken  in  any  part  of  the  world.  The  exif- 
tence  of  thefc  manufcripts  and  verfions  proves  that 
the  fcriptures  were  not  tlie  production  of  any  modern 
contrivance.  It  does  awav  a1fo  the  uncertainty 
which  hangs  over  fuch  publication?  a-;  the  works, 
real  or  pretended,  of  Offian  and  Rov.lcy,  in  which 
the  editors  are  challenged  to  produce  their  manu- 
fcripts, and  to  fhow  where  they  obtained  their  co- 
pies. The  number  of  manufcripts,  far  exceeding 
thofe  of  any  other  books,  and  their  wide  difperfion, 
affords  an  argument,  in  fome  meafurc,  to  the  fcnfeSy 

*  The  Alexandrian  mimufcript,  now  in  the  Kinor's  library, 
WIS  wriffon  probably  in  the  fourth  or  fifth  century.' 

H  ihac 


98  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

that  the  fcripturcs  anciently,  in  like  manner  as  at 
this  day,  were  more  read  and  fought  after  than  any 
other  books,  and  that  alfo  in  many  ri?Terent  coun- 
tries. The  greateft  part  of  fpurious  Chriftian  wri- 
tings are  utterly  loft,  the  reft  preferved  by  fome  An- 
gle manufcript.  There  is  weight  alfo  in  Dr.  Bent- 
ley's  obfervation,  that  the  New  Teltament  has  fuf- 
fered  lefs  injury  by  the  errors  of  tranfcribers  than 
the  works  of  any  profane  author  of  the  fame  fize  and 
antiquity ;  that  is,  there  never  was  any  writing  in 
the  prefervation  and  purity  of  which  the  world  was 
fo  intercfted  or  fo  careful. 

II.  An  argument  of  great  weight  with  thofe 
who  are  judges  of  the  proofs  upon  which  it  is  found- 
ed, and  capable,  through  their  teftimony,  of  being 
addrelfed  to  every  underftanding,  is  that  which  arifes 
from  the  ftyle  and  language  of  the  New  Teftament. 
It  is  juft  fuch  a  language  as  might  be  expefled  from 
the  apoftles,  from  perfons  of  their  age  and  in  their 
fituation,  and  from  no  other  perfons.  It  is  the  ftyle 
neither  of  claftic  authors,  nor  of  the  ancient  Chriftian 
fathers,  but  Greek  coming  from  men  of  Hebrew 
origin  ;  abounding,  that  is,  with  Hebraic  and  Syriac 
idioms,  fuch  as  would  naturally  be  found  in  the  wri- 
tings of  men  who  ufed  a  language  fpoken  indeed 
where  they  lived,  but  not  the  common  diale£t  of  the 
country.  This  happy  peculiarity  is  a  ftrong  proof 
of  the  genuinenefs  of  thefe  writings ;  for  who  ftiould 
forge  them  ?  The  Chriftian  fathers  were  for  the  moft 
part  totally  ignorant  of  Hebrew,  and  theiefore  were 
not  likely  to  infert  Hebraifms  and  Syriafms  into  their 
ivritings.  The  few  who  had  a  knowledge  of  the 
Hebrew,  as  Juftin  Martyr,  Origen,  and  Epiphanius, 
wrote  in  a  language  which  bears  no  refemblance  to 
that  of  the  New  Teftament.  The  Nazarenes,  who 
underftood  Hebrew,  ufed  chiefly,  perhaps  almoft 
entirely,  the  gofpel  of  St.  Matthew,  and  therefore 

cannot 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  9^ 

cannot  be  fufpefted  of  forging  the  reft  of  the  facrcd 

writings.  The  argument,  at  any  rate,  proves  the 
antiquity  of  thcfe  books  ;  that  they  belonged  to  the 
age  of  the  apoltles  ;  that  they  could  be  compofed 
indeed  in  no  other*. 

III.  Why  fliould  we  queflion  the  genuinenefs  of 
thefe  books  ?  Is  it  for  that  they  contain  accounts  of 
fupernatural  events  ?  I  apprehend  that  this,  at  the 
bottom,  is  the  real,  though  fecret,  caufe  of  our  he- 
litation  about  them  ;   for  had  the  writings  infcribed 
with    the    name    of    Matthew    and    John    related 
nothing  but  ordinary  hiftory,  there  would  have  been 
no  more  doubt  whether  thefe  writings  were  theirs, 
than  there  is  concerning  the  acknowledged  works  of 
Jofephus  or  Philo,  that  is,  there  would  have  been 
no  doubt  at  aH.     Now  it  ought  to  be  confidered  that 
this   reafon,    however  it  may  iipply  to    the  credit 
which  is  given  to  a  writer's  judgment  or  veracity, 
afFefts  the  queftion  of  genuinenefs  very  indireftly. 
The  works  of  Bede  exhibit  many  wonderful  rela- 
tions ;    but  who  for  that  reafon  doubts  that  they 
were  written  by  Bede  ?  The  fatne  of  a  multitude  of 
other  authors.     To  which  may  be  added,  that  we 
aflv  no  more  for  our  books  than  what  we  allow  to 
other  books  in  fome  fort  fimilar  to  ours.     We  do 
not  deny  the  genuinenefs  of  the  Koran.     We  admit 
that  the  hiftory  of  AppoUonius  Tyanasus,  purporting 
to  be  written  by  Philoftratus,  was  really  written  by 
Philoftratus. 

IV.  If  it  had  been  an  eafy  thing  in  the  early  times 
of  the  inftitution  to  have  forged  Chriftian  writings, 
and  to  have  obtained  currency  and  reception  to  the 
forgeries,  we  fliould  have  had  many  appearing  in 

*  See  this  argument  ftated  more  at  large  in  Michaelis's  in- 
trodu(5tion,  (Marfli's  tranflation;  vol.  I.  c.  ii.  fee.  x.  from 
Tvhich  thefe  obfervations  are  taken. 

H  2  the 


ICO  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  name  of  Chrift  himfelf.  No  writings  would  liave 
been  received  with  fo  much  avidity  and  refpeft  as 
thefe  ;  confequenily  none  afforded  fo  great  tempta- 
tion to  forgery.  Yet  have  we  heard  but  of  one  at- 
tempt of  this  fort  deferving  of  the  fmalleft  notice, 
that  in  a  piece  of  a  very  few  lines,  and  fo  far  from 
fucceeding,  I  mean  from  obtaining  acceptance  and 
reputation,  or  an  acceptance  and  reputation  in  any 
wife  fmiilar  to  that  which  can  be  proved  to  have  at- 
tended the  books  of  the  New  Tefiament,  that  it  is 
not  fo  much  as  mentioned  by  any  writer  of  the  three 
firft  centuries.  The  learned  reader  need  not  be  in- 
formed that  I  mean  the  epillle  of  Chrift  to  Abgarus, 
king  of  Edeilli,  found  at  prefent  in  the  works  of 
Eufebius*,  as  a  piece  acknowledged  by  him,  though 
not  without  confiderable  doubt  whether  the  whole 
pailage  be  not  an  interpolation,  as  it  is  mod:  certain 
that,  after  the  publication  of  Eufebius's  v/ork,  this 
epiftle  was  univerfally  rejeftedj. 

V.  If  the  afcription  of  the  gofpels  to  their  rcfpec- 
tive  authors  had  been  arbitrary  or  conjeflural,  they 
would  have  been  afcribed  to  more  eminent  men. 
This  obfervation  holds  concerning  the  three  firft 
gofpels,  the  reputed  authors  of  which  were  enabled, 
by  their  fituation,  to  obtain  true  intelligence,  and 

*  H.  Eccl.  1.  i.  c.  13. 

f  Auguftin,  A.  D.  395,  (de  confenf.  evang.  c.  34)  had 
heard  that  the  Pagans  pretended  to  be  poiTefled  of  an  epiftle 
from  Chrift  to  Peter  and  Paul,  but  he  had  never  feen  it,  and 
appears  to  doubt  of  the  exiftence  of  any  fuch  piece,  either  ge- 
nuine or  fpurious.  No  other  ancient  writer  mentions  it.  He  al- 
fo,  and  he  alone,  notices,  and  that  in  order  to  condemn  it,  an 
epiftk  afcribed  to  Chrift  by  the  Manichecs,  A.  D.  270,  and 
a  ihnrt  hymn  attributed  to  him  by  the  Prifcillianifts,  A.  D. 
378,  (cent.  Pauft.  Man.  lib.  28,  c.  4.)  The  latenefs  of  the 
vvriter  who  notices  thcfe  things,  the  manner  in  which  he  no- 
tices them,  and,  above  all,  the  filence  of  every  preceding 
AM  iter,  reiidtr  them  unworthy  of  confideration. 

were 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  loi 

were  likely  to  deliver  :in  honcfi:  account  of  \vh;ic 
they  knew,  but  were  perfons  not  dillinguiflied  in 
the  hiftory  by  extraordinary  marks  of  notice  or  com- 
mendation. Of  the  apoflles,  I  hardly  know  any  one 
of  whom  lefs  is  faid  than  of  Matthew,  or. of  whom 
the  little  that  is  faid,  is  lefs  calcuLired  to  magnify 
his  charafter.  Of  Mark  nothing  is  faid  in  the  pof- 
pels  ;  and  what  is  faid  of  any  perfon  of  that  name 
in  the  afts,  and  in  the  epililcs,  in  no  part  beflows 
praife  or  eminence  upon  him.  The  name  of  Luke 
is  rnentioned  only  in  St.  Paul's  epiftles*,  and  that 
very  tranfiently.  The  judgment,  therefore,  which 
afligned  thefe  wiitings  to  thefe  authors  proceeded, 
it  may  be  prefumed,  upon  proper  knowledge  and 
evidence,  and  not  upon,  a  vohmtary  choice  of 
names. 

VI.  Chriflian  writers  and  Chridian  churches  ap- 
pear to  have  foon  arrived  at  a  very  general  agree- 
ment upon  the  fubjesft,  and  that  without  the  inter- 
pofition  of  any  public  authority.  VvHicn  the 
diverfity  of  opinion  which  prevailed  and  prevails 
among  Chriflians  in  other  points  is  confidered,  their 
concurrence  in  the  canon  of  fcripiure  i^,  remarkable, 
and  of  great  weight,  el^^ecially  as  it  fcems  to  have 
been  the  refult  of  private  and  free  enquiry.  VV^'e 
have  no  knowledge  of  any  interference  of  authority 
in  the  queflion  before  the  council  of  Laodicca  in  the 
year  363.  Probably  the  decree  of  this  council 
rather  declared  than  regulated  the  public  judgment, 
or,  more  properly  fpeaking,  the  judgment  of  fome 
neighbouring  churches j  the  council  itfelf  confiding 
of  no  more  than  thirty  or  forty  bifliops  of  Lydia  and 
the  adjoining  countries  *.  Nor  does  its  authority 
feem  to  have  e:;tended  farther;  for  we  find  num.e- 

*   Col.  iv.  14.   2  Tim.  iv.  1 1.     Pliilem,  24. 
f  Lardner's  Cred.  vol.  VIII.  p.  291,  et  ftq. 

II  3  reus 


102  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

rous  Chriftlan  writers,  after  this  time,  difculTing  the 
quefti'^n,  "  what  books  were  entitled  to  be  received 
*'  as  fcripture,"  with  great  freedom,  upon  proper 
grounds  of  evidence,  and  without  any  reference  to 
the  decifion  at  Laodicea. 

Thefe  confjderations  are  not  to  be  neglefted  :  but 
of  an  argument  concerning  the  genuinenefs  of  ancient 
writing;s,  the  fubftance  undoubtedly  and  ftrength  is 
ancient  teftimony. 

This  teftimony  it  is  neceflary  to  exhibit  fomewhat 
in  detail ;  for  when  Chriftian  advocates  merely  tell 
us,  that  we  have  the  fame  reafon  for  believing  the 
gofpels  to  be  written  by  the  evangelifts,  whofe  name 
they  bear,  as  we  have  for  believing  the  Commen- 
taries to  be  Ccefar's,  the  ^neid  Virgils,  or  the  Ora- 
tions Cicero's,  they  content  themfelves  with  an 
imperfe£l  reprefentation.  They  ftate  nothing  more 
than  what  is  true,  biit  they  do  not  ftate  the  truth 
correftly.  In  the  number,  variety,  and  early  date 
of  our  teflim.onies,  we  far  exceed  all  other  ancient 
books.  For  one,  which  the  moft  celebrated  work 
of  the  mod  celebrated  Greek  or  Roman  writer  can 
allege,  we  produce  nnan)^  But  then  it  is  more 
rcquifite  in  our  books,  than  in  theirs,  to  feparate 
and  diftinguifli  them  from  fpurious  competitors.  The 
refult,  I  am  convinced  will  be  fluisfaftory  to  every 
fair  enquirer;  but  this  circumftance  renders  an  en- 
quiry neceflary. 

In  a  work,  however,  like  the  prefent,  there  is  a 
difficulty  in  finding  a  place  for  evidence  of  this  kind. 
To  purfue  the  detail  of  proofs  throughout,  would 
be  to  tranfcribe  a  great  part  of  Dr.  Lardner's  eleven 
oftavo  volumes;  to  leave  the  argument  without 
proofs,  is  to  leave  it  without  effeft ;  for  the  perfuafion 
produced  by  this  fpecics  of  evidence,  depends  upon 
a  view  and  indudion  of  the  particulars  which  com- 
pofe  it, 
^  The 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  103 

The  merhod  which  I  propofe  to  myfelf  is,  firft,  to 
place  before  the  reader,  in  one  view,  the  propofi- 
tions  which  comprife  the  feveral  heads  of  our  tefti- 
mony,  and  afterwards,  to  repeat  the  fame  propofitions 
in  fo  many  diflinft  feftions,  with  the  necelTary 
authorities  fubjoined  to  each  *. 

The  following,  then,  are  the  allegations  upon  the 
fubjecft,  which  are  capable  of  being  eftablillied  by 
proof. 

•  I.  That  the  hifl-orical  books  of  the  New  Tefta- 
mcnt,  meaning  thereby  the  four  gofpels  and  the  a(5ls 
of  the  apofiics,  are  quoted,  or  alluded  to,  by  a 
feries  of  Chriflian  writers,  beginning  with  thofe  who 
were  contemporary  with  the  apoftles,  or  who  imme- 
diately followed  them,  and  proceeding  in  clofe  and 
regular  fucceffion  from  their  time  to  the  prefeni. 

II.  That  when  they  arc  quoted,  or  alluded  to, 
they  are  quoted  or  alluded  to  with  peculiar  refpe^l:, 
as  hodk^fui  generis,  as  poffeffing  an  authority  which 
belonged  to  no  other  books,  and  as  conclufive  in  all 
queftions  and  controverfies  amongfl:  Chriftians. 

III.  That  they  were,  in  very  early  times,  colleftcd 
into  a  diftinfl  volume. 

IV.  That  they  were  diftinguiQied  by  appropriate 
names  and  titles  of  refpeft. 

V.  That  they  were  publicly  read  and  expounded 
in  the  religious  aiTcmblies  of  the  Chriftians. 

*  The  reader,  when  he  has  the  propofitions  before  hire, 
will  obferve  that  the  argument,  If  he  flioald  omit  the  fcftions, 
proceeds  connccftedly  from  this  point. 

H  4  VI.  Tha 


104  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

VI.  That  commentaries  were  written  upon  them, 
harmonies  formed  out  of  them,  different  copies  care- 
fully collated,  and  verfions  of  them  made  into  dif- 
ferent languages. 

VII.  That  they  were  received  by  Chriflians  of 
different  {e£is,  by  many  heretics  as  well  as  catholics, 
and  ufually  appealed  to  by  both  fides  in  the  contro- 
verfies  which  arofe  in  thofe  days. 

VIII.  That  the  four  gofpels,  the  afts  of  the 
apofHes,  thirteen  epiilles  of  St.  Paul,  the  firfl  epiflle 
of  John,  and  the  firfl  of  Peter,  were  received,  with- 
out doubt,  by  thofe  who  doubted  concerning  the 
other  books  which  are  included  in  our  prefent 
canon. 

IX.  That  the  gofpels  were  attacked  by  the  early 
advcrfaries  of  Chriflianity,  as  books  containing  the 
accounts  upon  Vv^hich  the  religion  was  founded. 

X.  That  formal  catalogues  of  authentic  fcriptures 
were  publiihed ;  in  all  which  our  prefent  flicrcd  hif- 
tories  were  included. 

XI.  That  thefe  proportions  cannot  be  afHrmed  of 
any  other  books,  claiming  to  be  books  of  fcripiure; 
by  which  I  mean  thofe  books  which  are  commonly 
called  apochryphal  books  of  the  New  Teflament. 


SECT. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  105 


SECTION     I. 


The  h'lftor'ical  hooks  of  the  New  Tcflameni^  meaning 
thereby  the  four  gofpcls  and  the  Acls  of  the  Apo/iles, 
are  quoted^  or  alluded  to,  by  a  feries  of  Chriflian 
writers,  beginning  with  thofe  who  were  contempo- 
rary with  the  Apoftles,  or  who  immediately  followed 
them,  and  proceeding  in  clofe  and  regular  fiiecejjlon 
from  their  time  to  the  prefent. 

JL  he  medium  of  proof  ftated  in  this 
propofition  is,  of  all  others,  the  moft  unqiieliionable, 
the  lead  liable  to  any  praftices  of  fraud,  and  is  not 
diminiflied  by  the  lapfe  of  ages.  Bifliop  Burnet,  in 
the  hiftory  of  his  own  times,  infcrts  various  extra^ls 
from  Lord  Clarendon's  hiftory.  One  fuch  infertion 
is  a  proof,  that  Lord  Clarendon's  hiftory  was  extant 
at  the  time  when  Bifliop  Burnet  wrote,  that  it  liad 
been  read  by  Bifliop  Burnet,  that  it  was  received  by 
Bifliop  Burnet  as  a  work  of  Lord  Clarendon's  and 
alfo  regarded  by  him  as  an  authentic  account  of  the 
tranfaftions  which  it  relates  :  and  it  will  be  a  proof 
of  thefe  points  a  thoufand  years  hence,  or  as  long  as 
the  books  exifl.  Juvenal  having  quoted,  as  Cicero's, 
that  memorable  line, 

"  O  fortunatam  natam  me  confule  Romam." 

the  quotation  would  be  flrong  evidence,  were  there 
any  doubt,  that  the  oration,  in  which  that  line  is 
found,  actually  came  from  Cicero's  pen.  Thefe 
infl:ances,  however  fimple,  may  ferve  to  point  out  to 
a  reader,  who  is  little  accuftomed  to  fuch  rcfcarchcs, 
the  nature  and  value  of  the  argument. 

The 


io6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

The  teillraonies  which  we  have  to  bring  lorward 
under  this  propofition  are  the  followin^r  : 

I.  There  is  extant  an  epiftle  afcribed  to  Barnabas  *, 
the  companion  of  Paul.  It  is  qjoted  as  the  epiille 
of  Barnabas  by  Clement  of  Alexandria,  A.  D.  194: 
by  Origen,  A.  D.  230.  It  is  mentioned  by  Euie- 
bins,  A.  D.  315,  and  by  Jerome,  A.  D.  392,  as  m 
ancient  work  in  their  time,  bearing  the  nan.e  of  Bar- 
nabas, and  as  well  known  and  read  among  the 
Chriftians,  though  not  accounted  a  part  of  fcripture. 
It  purports  to  have  been  written  foon  after  tlie  def- 
truftion  of  Jerufalem,  during  the  calamities  which 
followed  that  difailcr;  and  it  bears  the  character  of 
the  age  to  which  it  profelTes  to  belong. 

In  this  epiflle  appears  the  following  remarkable 
paffage : — "  Let  us,  therefore,  beware  left  it  come 
*'  upon  us,  as  it  is  wriiten,  there  are  many  called, 
*•  few  chofen."  From  the  expreftion,  "  as  it  is 
*'  written,'*  we  infer  with  certamty,  that,  at  the  time 
when  the  author  of  this  epiftle  lived,  there  was  a 
book  extant,  well  known  to  Chriftians,  and  of 
authority  among  them,  containing  ihefe  word*; — 
"  many  are  called,  few  chofen."  Such  a  book  is 
our  prefent  gofpel  of  St.  Matthew,  in  which  this  text 
is  twice  found,  and  is  found  in  no  o^her  book  now 
known.  There  is  a  farther  obfervaiion  to  be  made 
OH  the  terms  of  the  quotation.  The  writer  of  the 
epiftle  was  a  Jew.  The  phrafe  "  it  is  written"  was 
the  very  form  in  which  the  Jews  quoted  their  fcrip- 
tures.  It  is  not  probable,  therefore,  that  he  would 
have  ufed  this  phrafe,  and  without  qualification,  of 
any  books  but  what  had  acquired  a  kind  of  fcriptu- 

*  Lardner's  Cred.  ed.  1755,  vol.  I.  p.  23,  et  feq.  The 
reader  will  obferve  from  the  references  that  the  materials  of 
thefe  fedions  are  almofl  entirely  extrafled  from  Dr.  Lardner's 
work — my  office  confifted  in  arrangement  and  feledion. 

ral 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  107 

ral  authority.  If  the  paffage  remarked  in  this 
ancient  writing  had  been  found  in  one  of  St.  Paul's 
epiftles,  it  would  have  been  efteemed  by  every  one 
a  high  teftiraony  to  St.  Matthew's  gofpel.  It  oughrt, 
therefore,  to  be  remembered,  that  the  writing  in 
which  it  is  found  was  probably  but  very  view  years 
pofterior  to  thofe  of  St.  Paul. 

Befide  this  paffage,  there  are  alfo  in  the  epiftle 
before  us  feveral  others,  in  which  the  fentiment  is 
the  fame  with  what  we  meet  with  in  St.  Matthew's 
gofpel,  and  two  or  three  in  which  we  recognize 
'  the  fame  words.  In  particular,  the  author  of  the 
epiftle  repeats  the  precept,  "  give  to  every  one  that 
"  afketh  thee,"  and  faith  that  Chrift  chofe  as  his 
apoftles,  who  were  to  preach  the  gofpel,  men  who 
were  great  fmners,  that  he  might  {how  that  he  came 
"  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  fmners,  to  repen- 
«  tance." 

II.  We  are  in  poireffion  of  an  epiftle  written  by 
Clement,  Bifliop  of  Rome  *,  whom  ancient  writers, 
without  any  doubt  or  fcruple,  aftert  to  have  been 
the  Clement  whom  St.  Paul  mentions,  Phil.  iv.  3. 
"  With  dement  alfo,  and  other  my  fellow-labourers, 
"  whofe  names  are  in  the  book  of  life."  This 
epiftle  is  fpoken  of  by  the  ancients  as  an  epiftle 
acknowledged  by  all;  and,  as  Irenasus  well  reprefents 
its  value,  "  written  by  Clement,  who  had  fcen  the 
*'  bleffed  apoftles  and  converfed  with  them,  who  had* 
"  the  preaching  of  the  apoftles  ftill  founding  in  his 
"  ears,  and  their  traditions  before  his  eyes."  It  is 
addreffed  to  the  Church  of  Corinth;  and  what  alone 
may  feem  almoft  dccifive  of  its  authenticity,  Dionyfius, 
Bifliop  of  Corinth,  about  the  year  170,  /.  e.  about 
eighty  or  ninety  years  after  the  epiftle  was  written, 

*  Lardner's  Cred.  vol.  I.  p.  62,  et  feq. 

bears 


loS.  A  VIEAV  OF  THE 

bears  witners,  "  rbat  it  had  been  wont  to  be  read  in 
"  that  church  from  ancient  timci;." 

This  cpiille  affords,  aiiiongft  others,  the  following 
valnable  palTages:™"  Efpecially  remembering  the 
"  words  of  the  Lord  Jefus  which  he  fpake,  teaching 
"  gentlenefs  and  long  fuffcring;  for  thus  he  faid*: 
*'  Be  ye  merciful  iliat  ye  may  obtain  mercy;  foreive, 
*'  that  \t  may  forgiven  unto  you;  as  you  do,  fo  lliall 
"  it  be  done  unto  you;  as  you  give,  fo  ihali  ir  be 
"  given  unto  you ;  as  ye  judge,  fo  lba.Il  yc  be  judged ; 
"  as  ye  ihow  kindnefs,  fo  {hall  kindnefs  be  faown 
*'  unto  you;  with  what  racufure  ye  mete,  with  the 
"  fame  it  fliall  be  meafured  to  you.  By  this  ccm- 
'*  mand,  and  by  thefe  rules,  let  us  eftabliru  ourfelves, 
"  that  we  may  always  Vv'alk  obediently  to  his  holy 
"  words." 

Again,  "  Remember  the  v/ords  of  the  Lord  Jefus, 
*•  for  he  faid,  Vv'o  to  that  man  by  whom  offences 
"  come;  it  v/ere  better  for  him  that  he  had  not  been 
'•  born,  than  that  he  (hcu'd  oitend  one  of  my  elect; 
"  it  were  better  ior  him  that  the  miibflone  fliould 
"  be  tied  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  (liould  be 
"  drowned  in  the  fea,  than  that  he  Ihould  offend  one 
"  of  ray  little  onesj." 

*  "  JDlelTed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  fhall  obtain  mercy." 
Mat.  V.  7. — "  Forgive,  and  ye  fhall  be  forgiven;  give,  and  it 
Ihall  be  given  unto  you."  Luke  vi,  37,  38. — *♦  Judge  not, 
that  ye  be  not  judged;  for  with  what  judgment  be  judge,  ye 
Ihall  be  judged,  and  with  what  meafure  ye  mete,  it  fhall  be 
meafured  to  you  again."     Mat.  vii.  2. 

f  Mat.  xviii.  6.  "  But  whofo  (hall  offend  one  of  thefe 
little  ones  which  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a 
mill-{lr:ne  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and  that  he  were  cafl 
into  the  fea."  The  latter  part  of  the  paifage  in  Clement 
agrees  more  exa«nly  with  Luke  xvii.  2,  "It  were  better  for 
liim  that  a  mill-ftone  were  hrmged  about  his  neck,  and  he 
call  into  the  fea,  than  that  he  fliould  offend  one  of  thefe  iitde 
ones." 

In 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  109 

In  both  thcfe  pi^ffagcs  we  perceive  the  liii^h 
rcfpeft  paid  to  the  words  of  Chrift  as  recorded  by 
tl\e  evangelifts:  "  Rejiieinber  the  words  of  the  Lord 
"  jdus — by  this  command  and  by  thefe  rules  let  us 
"  clbibiifh  ourfclves  that  we  may  always  walk  obe- 
"  diently  to  his  holy  words."  We  perceive  alfo  in 
Clement  a  total  unconfcioufnefs  of  doubt,  whether 
thefe  were  the  real  words  of  Chrift,  which  are  read 
as  fuch  in  the  gofpels.  This  obfervation  indeed  be- 
longs to  the  whole  feries  of  teftimony,  and  efpecially 
to  the  moft  ancient  part  of  it.  Whenever  any  thing 
nov/  read  in  the  gofpels  is  met  with  in  an  early 
Chriftian  writing,  it  is  alwiiys  obferved  to  (land  there 
as  acknowledged  truth,  ;.  c.  to  be  introduced  with- 
out hefitation,  doubt,  or  apology.  It  is  to  be 
obferved  alfo,  that  as  this  epiftle  was  written  in  the 
name  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  addrciled  to  the 
church  of  Corinth,  it  ought  to  be  taken  as  exhi- 
biting  the  judgment  not  only  of  Clement,  v/ho 
drew  up  the  letter,  but  of  thefe  churches  themfelves, 
at  ieaft  as  to  the  authority  of  the  books  referred  to. 

It  may  be  faid,  that,  as  Clement  hath  not  ufed 
words  of  quotation,  it  is  not  certain  that  he  refers 
to  any  book  whatever.  The  words  of  Chrift,  which 
he  has  put  down,  he  might  himfeU  have  heard  from 
the  apoftles,  or  miglit  have  received  through  the 
ordinary  medium  of  oral  tradition.  This  hath  been 
faid:  but  that  no  fuch  inference  can  be  drawn  from 
the  abfence  of  words  of  quotation  is  proved  by  the 
three  following  confidcrations: — Firft,  that  Clement 
in  the  very  fame  manner,  namely,  without  any  mark 
of  reference,  ufts  a  pafliige  nov^'  found  in  the  epiftle 
to  the  Romans*;  which  paftage  from  the  peculiarity 
of  the  words  which  compofe  it,  and  from  their  order, 
it  is  manifcft  that  he  mull  have  taken  IVoni  tiie  book. 

*  Roni.  i.  2.;. 

Tug 


no  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

The  fame  remark  may  be  repeated  of  fome  very 
fmgular  fentiments  in  the  epiftle  to  the  Hebrews. 
Secondly,  that  there  are  many  fentences  of  St.  Paul's 
epiftle  to  the  Corinthians  ftanding  in  Clement's  epif- 
tle without  any  fign  of  quotation,  which  yet  cer- 
tainly are  quotations  ;  becaufe  it  appears  that  Cle- 
ment had  Si.  Paul's  epiftle  before  him,  inafmuch  as 
in  one  place  he  mentions  it  in  terms  too  exprefs  to 
leave  us  in  any  doubt — '  Take  into  your  hands  the 
epiftle  of  the  blelTed  apoftle  Paul.'  Thirdly,  that 
this  method  of  adopting  words  of  fcripture,  without 
reference  or  acknowledgement,  was,  as  will  appear 
in  the  fequel,  a  method  in  general  ufe  amongft  the 
moft  ancient  Chriftian  writers.  Thefe  analogies  not 
only  repel  the  obje6i-ion,  but  caft  the  prefumptioii 
on  the  other  fide  ;  and  afford  a  confiderable  degree 
of  pofitive  proof,  that  the  words  in  queftion  have 
been  borrowed  from  the  places  of  fcripture  in  which 
we  now  find  them. 

But  take  it  if  you  will  the  other  way,  that  Cle- 
ment had  heard  thefe  words  from  the  apoftles  or 
firft  teachers  of  Chriftianity ;  with  refpe^t  to  the 
precife  point  of  our  argument,  viz.  that  the  fcrip- 
tures  contain  what  the  apoftles  taught,  this  fuppofi- 
tion  may  ferve  almoft  as  well. 

III.  Near  the  conclufion  of  the  epiftle  to  the 
Romans,  St.  Paul,  amongft  others,  fends  the  fol- 
lowing falutation  :  "  Salute  Afyncritus,  Phlegon, 
"  Her?nas,  Patrobus,  Hermes,  and  the  brethren 
"  which  are  with  them." 

Of  Hermas,  who  appears  in  this  catalogue  of 
Roman  Chriftians  as  contemporary  with  St.  Paul, 
a  book  bearing  the  name,  and  (it  is  moft  probable) 
rightly,  is  ftill  remaining.  It  is  called  the  Shepherd 
or  Paftor  of  Hermas*.    Its  antiquity  is  inconteftible, 

*  Larder's  Cred.  vol.  i.  p.  iii. 

from 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  iii 

from  the  quotations  of  it  in  Irenccus,  A,  D.  178, 
CIrment  of  Alexandria,  A.  U.  194,  Tertullian, 
A.  D.  200,  Origen,  A.  D.  230.  The  notes  of 
time  extant  in  the  epiftle  itfelf  agree  with  its  title, 
and  with  the  teflimonies  concerning  it,  for  it  pur- 
ports to  have  been  written  during  the  Hfe-time  of 
Clement. 

In  this  piece  arc  tacit  allufions  to  St.  Matthew*^, 
St  Luke's,  aod  St.  John's  gofpels,  that  is  to  fay, 
they  are  applications  of  thoughts  and  expreflions 
found  in  thefe  gofpels,  without  citing  the  place  or 
writer  from  which  they  were  taken.  In  this  form 
appear  in  Hermas  the  confefHng  and  denying  of 
Chrift ;  the  parable  of  the  feed  fown  ;  the  compa- 
rifon  of  Chrifl's  difciples  to  little  children  ;  the 
faying,  "  he  that  putteth  away  his  wife,  and  mar- 
ricth  another,  committeth  adultery."  The  fmgular 
expreflion,  "  having  received  all  power  from  his 
"  father,"  in  probable  allufion  to  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 
and  Chrift  being  the  "  gate,"  or  only  way  of  coming 
"  to  God,"  in  plain  allufion  to  John  xiv.  6. — x.  7, 
9.     There  is  alfo  a  probable  allulion  to  A6ls  v.  32. 

This  piece  is  the  reprefentation  of  a  vifion,  and 
has  by  many  been  accounted  a  weak  and  fanciful 
performance.  I  therefore  obferve,  that  the  cha- 
racter of  the  writing  has  little  to  do  with  the  purpofe 
for  which  we  adduce  it.  It  is  the  age  in  which  ic 
was  compofed  that  gives  the  value  to  its  teftimony. 

IV.  Ignatius,  as  it  is  tcftified  by  ancient  Chriitian 
writers,  became  Bilhop  of  Antioch  about  thirty- 
fevcn  years  after  Chaift's  afcenfion  ;  and  therefore, 
from  his  time,  and  place,  and  Itaiion,  ic  is  probable 
that  he  had  knov/n  and  converU^d  with  many  of  the 
apoftles.  Epiftles  of  Ignatius  are  rrferred  to  by 
Polycarp  his  contemporary.  Pafiages,  found  in  the 
epiftles  now  extant  under  his  name,  are  quoted  by 
IrenTu*^,  A.  D.    178,  by  Ori^^en,   A.  I).  2305  and 

the 


112  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  occafion  of  writing  the  epiftle  is  given  at  large 
by  Eufebius  and  Jerome.  What  are  called  the 
fmaller  cpiftles  of  Ignatius,  are  generally  deemed  to 
be  tliofe  which  were  read  by  Irenasus,  Origen,  and 
Eufebius*. 

In  thefe  epiftles  are  various  undoubted  allufions  to 
the  gofpels  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  John  ;  yet  fo  far 
of  the  jfame  form  with  thofe  in  the  preceding  articles, 
that,  lilce  them,  they  are  not  accompanied  with 
marks  of  quotation. 

Of  thefe  allufions  the  following  are  clear  fpeci- 
mens : 

r      "  Chrift  was  baptifed  of  John,  that  all 
J.  _  J  righteoiifnefs  might  be  fulfilled  by  bifii.'* 

-    a  f«t  \       cs  ]^g  jQ  c^iJq  as  ferpents  in  all  things, 
L  and  harmlefs  as  a  dove. 
r      "  Yet  the  fpirit  is  not  deceived,  being 
j  from  God  ;  for  it  knows  whence  it  conies^ 
.     ,      J  and  whither  it  g-(?a." 
John\.  <;       ,,  jj^  (Chrift)  is  the  door  of  the  Father, 
I  by  which  enter  in  Abraham  and  Ifaac  and 
L  Jacob  and  the  Apoftles  and  the  Church.'* 
As  to  the  manner  of  quotation  this  is  obfervable : 
— Ignatius,  in  one  place,  fpeaks  of  St.  Paul  in  terms 
of  high  refpe^l,  and  quotes  his  epiftle  to  the  Ephe- 
frans  by  name ;  yet  in  feveral  other  places  he  bor- 
rows words   2nd  fentiments  from  the  llune  epiftle, 
without  mentioning  it :  which  fliews,  that  this  was 

*   Lardner's  Cred.  vol,  I.  p.   147. 

f  iii.   15.     '  For  thus  it  becomes  us  to  fulfil  all  rlghteouf- 

*  uefs.' 

xi.  16.  'Be  therefore  wife  as  ferpents,  and  harmlefs  ar; 
'  doves.' 

%  iii.  8.  '  The  wind  blovvetli  where  it  lifteth,  and  thou 
'  heaieft  the  found  thereof,  but  can  ft  not  tell  ^whence  it  cometh^ 

*  and  ^.vh'itkr  it  goeth;  fo  is  every  one  that  is  born  of  the  fpirit.' 

X.  9.     'I  am  the  door ;    bv   me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he 

*  ftall  be  faved.' 

2  his 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  tiij 

his  s^enenvl  manner  of  iifin?  and  applying  writings 
then  exr  mr,  and  then  of  high  authority. 

V.  Polycirp*  had  been  taught  by  the  apoftlcs  ; 
li.id  converfcd  with  many  who  had  fecn  Chrifl ;  was 
alfo  by  the  apoftlcs  appointed  Bifliop  of  Smyrna. 
'Ih.is  teftimony  concerning  Polycarp  is  given  by  Irc- 
na:us,  who  in  his  youth  had  feen  him.  "  I  can  tell 
*•  the  place,"  faith  Irenxus,  "  in  which  the  bklTed 
*'  Polycarp  fat  and  taught,  and  his  going  out  and 
*'  coming  in,  and  the  manner  of  his  life,  and  the 
"  form  of  his  perfon,  and  the  difcourfes  he  made  to 
. "  the  people,  and  how  he  related  his  converfation 
"  with  John  and  others  who  had  feen  the  Lord,  ?.nd 
*'  how  he  related  their  fayings,  and  what  he  had 
"  heard  concerning  the  Lord,  both,  concerning  his 
"  miracles  and  his  doftrine,  as  he  had  received  them 
*'  from  the  eye-witnefles  of  the  word  of  life:  all  which 
"  which  Poh'carp  related  agreeable  to  the  fcriptures." 

Of  Polycarp,  whofe  proximity  to  the  age  and 
country,  and  perfons  of  the  apoftles,  is  thus  attelfed, 
we  have  one  undoubted  epiflle  remaining.  And 
this,  though  a  (hort  letter,  contains  nearly  forty  dear 
allufions  to  books  of  the  New  Teflamcnt ;  which 
is  Ifroni?  evidence  of  the  refpe^t  which  Chriflians  of 
th;it  avje  bore  for  thefc  books. 

Amon_ifl  thrfe,  although  the  writings  of  St.  Paul 
are  mo-e  frequently  ufcd  by  Polycarp  than  other 
par-s  of  fcripturc,  there  are  copious  allufions  to  the 
gofpel  of  St.  Marthcw,  fome  to  pafT.iges  found  in  the 
gofpels  both  of  Matthew  and  Luke,  and  fome  which 
more  nearly  refemble  the  words  in  Luke. 

1  fcleft  the  following,  as  fixing  the  authority  of 
the  Lord's  pr  lyer,  and  the  ufc  of  i:  amongft  the 
primitive  Chrittians,  "  if  therefore  we  pniy  the  Lord 
*'  that  he  zviii  forgive  us,  wc  ought  aJfo  1o  foi'give.*^ 

*  lb.  Vol.  L  p.   152. 

1  "  With. 


114  ^         A  VIEW  OF  THE 

"  With  fapplication  hefeeching  the  all-feehig  God 
*'  not  to  lead  us  into  temptation.''* 

And  the  following,  for  the  fake  of  repeating  an 
obfervation  alread)'^  made,  that  words  of  our  Lord, 
found  in  our  gofpeis,  were  at  this  early  day  quoted 
as  fpoken  by  him  :  and  not  only  fo,  but  quoted  with 
fo  little  quedion  or  confcioufnefs  of  doubt,  about 
their  being  really  his  words,  as  not  even  to  mention, 
much  lefs  to  canvafs,  the  authority  from  which  they 
were  taken* 

*'  But  remembering  what  the  Lord  faid,  teaching, 
**  judge  not,  that  ye  be  not  judged  ;  forgive,  and  ye 
"  fhall  be  forgiven  ;  be  ye  merciful,  that  ye  may 
*'  obtain  mercy ;  with  what  meafure  ye  mete,  it  fliall 
"  be  meafured  to  you  again/* 

Suppofmg  Polycarp  to  have  had  thefe  words  from 
the  books  in  which  we  now  find  them,  it  is  manifefl; 
that  thefe  books  were  confidered  by  him,  and,  as 
he  thought,  confidered  by  his  readers,  as  authentic 
accounts  of  Chrift's  difcourfes  j  and  that  that  point 
was  inconteflible. 

The  following  is  a  decifive,  though  what  we  call 
a  tacit,  reference  to  St.  Peter's  fpeech  in  the  Afts 
of  the  Apoftles : — "  whom  God  hath  raifed,  having 
*'  loofed  the  pains  of  death." 

VL  Papias*,  a  hearer  of  John,  and  companion 
of  Polycarp,  as  Iren^us  attefls,  and  of  that  age,  as 
all  agree,  in  a  pafTage  quoted  by  Eufebius,  from  a 
work  now  loft:,  exprefsly  afcribes  the  refpe£i:ive  gof- 
peis to  Matthew  and  Mark  ;  and  in  a  manner  which 
proves,  that  thefe  gofpeis  mud  have  publicly  borns 
the  names  of  thefe  authors  at  that  time,  and  pro- 
bably long  before ;  for  Papias  does  not  fay,  that 
one  gofpel  v/as  written  by  Matthew,  and  another  by 
Mark,  but,  afTuming  this  as  perfec^lly  well  known, 

*  Tb.  Vol.  I.  p.  239. 

he 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  il<f 

he  tells  us  from  what  materials  Mark  colle<^ed  hia 
account,  viz.  from  Peter's  preaching,  and  in  what 
lanc;u;i'^e  Matthew  wrote,  viz.  in  Hcbrt- w.  Whether 
Piipias  was  well  informed  in  this  ftatement  or  not, 
to  the  point  for  which  I  produce  his  tcftimony, 
namely,  that  thefe  booi<s  bore  thefe  names  at  this 
time,  his  authority  is  complete. 

VII.  The  writers  hitherto  allefjed,  had  all  lived 
and  converfed  with  fome  of  the  apoflles.  The 
works  of  theirs  which  remain,  are  in  general  very 
fhort  pieces,  yet  rendered  extremely  valuable  by 
their  antiquity  ;  and  none,  (hort  as  they  are,  but 
what  contain  fame  important  teftimony  to  our  hido- 
rical  fcriptures*. 

N'-t  long  after  thefe,  that  is,  not  much  more  thaa 
twenry  years  after  tue  laft,  follows  JulHn  Martyr|. 
His  remaining  works  are  much  larger  than  any  that 
have  yet  b^-cn  noticed.  Although  the  nature  of  his 
two  principal  writings,  one  of  which  was  addreffed 
to  heathens,  and  the  other  was  a  conference  with  a 
Jew,  did  not  lead  him  to  fu-  h  frequent  appeals  to 
Chriflan  books,  as  would  have  appeared  in  a  dif- 
courfc  intended  for  Chriftian  readers  ;  we  never the- 

*  That  the  quotations  are^nore  thinly  ftrown  in  thefe,  than 
in  the  writings  of  the  next,  and  of  fucceeding  ag^es,  is,  in  a 
good  meaflire,  accounted  for  by  the  ohfervation,  that  the  fcrip- 
tur-  s  <  f  the  New  TeRament  '^ai  not/ ^  nor  by  their  recency 
hardly  could  h  ive,  become  a  general  part  of  Chriftian  educa- 
tion ;  read,  as  the  Old  Teftament  was,  by  Jews  and  Chriftians 
from  their  childhood,  and  th;reb>  int'marely  mining,  as  that 
had  lone  done,  wirh  all  rhe'r  religious  idea',  and  with  their 
language  upon  reli;ifnis  ful)je6ts.  In  procefs  of  time,  and  as 
foon  perhaps  as  could  be  expe<fled,  this  came  to  be  the  cafe. 
And  then  we  perceive  the  elfe*5t,  in  a  proportionably  greater 
frequency,  as  well  as  copioufnefs  of  allufionij:. 

t  lb.  Vol.  I.  p.  258. 

J  Mich.  Introd.  c.  ii.  fc(ft.  vi. 

I  2  left 


ti^'  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

lefs  reckon  up  in  them  between  twenty  and  thirty 
quotations  of  the  gofpeis  and  a£ts  of  the  apoftles, 
certain,  diftinft,  and  copious :  if  each  verfe  be 
counted  feparately,  a  much  greater  number  j  if 
each  exprelTion,  a  very  great  one*. 

VvTe  meet  with  quotations  of  three  of  the  gofpeis 
within  the  coir.pafs  of  half  a  page  ;  "  and  in  other 
"  words  he  fays,  depart  from  me  into  outer  dark- 
*'  nefs,  which  the  Father  hath  prepared  for  Satan 
"  and  his  angels,"  (which  is  from  Matthew  xxv. 
41.)  "  And  again  he  faid  in  other  words,  I  give 
"  unto  you  povv'er  to  tread  upon  ferpents  and  fcor- 
"  pions,  and  venomous  hearts,  and  upon  all  the 
*'  power  of  the  enemy."  (This  from  Luke  x.  19.) 
*'  And,  before  he  was  crucified,  he  faid,  the  fon 
*'  of  man  mud  fuifer  many  things,  and  be  rejefled 
*'  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees,  and  be  crucified,  and 
*'  rife  again  the  third  day".     (This  from  Mark  viii, 

31). 

In  another  place  Juilin  quotes  a  paiTage  in  the 

hiftory  of  Chrid^s  birth,  as  delivered  by  Matthev/ 
and  John,  and  fortifies  his  quotation  by  this  remark- 
able teftimony ;  "  as  they  have  taught,  who  have 
"Writ  the  hiftory  of  all  things  concerning  our  Saviour 
Jefus  Chrift  ;  and  we  believe  them." 

Quotations  alfo  are  found  from  the  gofpel  of  St. 
John. 

What,  moreover,  feems  extremely  material  to  be 
obferved,  is,  that  in  all  Juftin^s  works,  from  which 
might  be  extrafted  almoffc  a  complete  life  of  Chrift, 
there  are  but  tv/o  inilances,  in  which  he  refers  to 
any  thing  as  faid  or  done  by  Chrift,  which  is  not 
related  concerning  him  in  our  prefent  gofpeis:  which 

*  •  He  cites  our  prefent  canon,  and  particularly  our  four 
*  gofpeis  continually,  I  dare  fay,  above  two  hundred  times.' 
Jones's  Nevf  and  Full  Method.     Append.  Vol.  I.  p.  589,  ed. 

fliews 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  n-j 

fliews  that  thtfc  gofpels,  and  thcfe,  we  may  fay, 
alone,  were  the  authorities  from  which  the  Chrif- 
ti:ins  of  that  day  drew  the  information  upon  which 
they  depended.  One  of  ihefe  inftances  is  of  a  faying 
of  Chrift,  not  met  with  in  any  book  now  extant*. 
The  other  of  a  circiimftance  in  Chrifl*s  baptifm, 
namely,  a  fiery  or  hirainous  appearance  upon  the 
water,  which,  according  to  Epiphanius,  is  noticed 
in  the  gofpcJ  of  the  Hebrews  ;  and  which  might  be 
true  ;  but  which,  whether  true  or  falfe,  is  men- 
tioned by  JufHn,  with  a  plain  mark  of  diminution, 
when  compared  with  what  he  quotes  as  refting  upon 
fcripture  authority.  The  reader  will  advert  to  this 
diftinfcion  ;    '  and   then,    when   Jefus  came   to   the 

*  river  Jordan,  where  John  was  baptizing,  a?  Jefus 
'  defcended  inro  the  v/ater,  a  fire  aifo  was  kindled  in 
'  Jordan  ;  and  when  he  came  up  out  of  the  water, 
'  the  apojiles  of  this  our  Chriji  have  ivrit,  that  the 
'  Holy  Ghoft  lighted  upon  him  as  a  dove.* 

All  the  references  in  Juilin  are  made  without 
mentioning  the  author ;  which  proves  that  thefe 
books  were  perfectly  notorious,  and  that  there  were 
no  other  accounrs  of  Chrift  then  extant,  or,  at  leafl:, 

*  *  "Wherefore  alio  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift  has  faid,  in  whAt- 

*  ever  I  fhall  find  you,  in  the  f;ime  I  will  alfo  judge  you.' 
PolTihly  Juftin  deligned  not  to  quote  any  text,  hut  to  reprefent 
the  fenfs  of  many  of  our  Lord's  fayings.  Fabriciut  has  ob- 
ferved,  that  this  faying  has  been  quoted  by  rr;any  vnters,  and 
that  Juftin  is  the  only  one  who  afcribes  it  to  our  Lord,  and 
that  perhaps  by  a  flip  of  his  memory. 

Words  refembling  thefe  are  read    repeatedly  in  Ezskiel ; 

*  I  will  judge  tliem  according  to  their  ways.'  (vii.  3.  xxxiii. 
20.)  It  is  remarkable  that  Juftin  had  but  jull  before  ex- 
prefsly  quoted  Ezekicl.  Mr.  Jones  upon  this  circumftance 
founded  a  conje(5);urc,  that  Juftin  writ  only  *  the  Lord  hath 

*  faid,'  intending  to  quote  the  words  c{  God,  or  rather  the 
fenfe  of  thofe  words,  in  Ezeki.l,  and  that  fome  tranfcriber, 
imagining  thefe  to  be  the  wo'-ds  of  Chrilt,  inferred  in  his  copy 
the  Wdicion  *'  jefus  Chrift."     Vol.  i.  p.  539. 

I  3  »<? 


ii8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

no  others  fo  received  and  credited,  as  to  make  it 
ncceffary  to  diftinguifli  thefe  from  the  rtft. 

But  ahhough  Juftin  meRtions  not  the  author's 
names,  he  calls  the  books,  '*  JViemoirs  compofed  by 
"  the  apoflles,'*  "  memoirs  compofed  by  the  apof- 
''  ties  and  their  companions  ;"  which  defcriptions, 
the  latter  efpecially,  exactly  fuit  with  the  titles  which 
the  gofpels  and  Afts  of  the  Apoftles  now  bear. 

VIII.  Hegefippus  *  came  about  thirty  years  -nfter 
Juftin.  His  tcdimony  is  remarkable  only  for  this 
particular  ;  that  he  relates  of  himfelf,  that,  travel- 
ling from  Pa'.eftine  to  Rome,  he  vifited  upon  his 
journey  many  bifhops ;  and  that  "  in  every  fuccef- 
"  fion,  and  in  every  city,  the  fame  dcftrine  is 
"  taught,  which  the  law,  and  the  prophets,  and  the 
"  Lor^  preacheth.'*  This  is  an  important  attefta- 
tion,  from  good  authority,  and  of  high  antiquity. 
It  is  generally  underftood  that  by  the  word  "  Lord,'* 
J-Iegefippus  intended  fome  writing  or  writings,  con- 
taining the  teaching  of  Chrift,  in  which  fenfe  alone, 
the  term  <"ombines  with  the- other  terms  "  law  and 
."  prophet,"  which  denote  writings^;  and  together 
with  them  admits  of  the  verb  "  preacheth,"  in  the 
prefent  tenfe.  Then,  that  thefe  WTitings  were  fome 
or  all  of  the  books  of  the  New  Teftament,  is  ren- 
dered probable  from  hence,  that,  in  the  fragments 
of  his  works,  which  are  prefervcd  in  Eufebius,  and 
in  a  writer  of  the  ninth  centi  ry,  enough,  though  it 
be  little,  is  left  to  (liow,  that  Hegefippus  expreiTed 
divers  things  in  the  ftyle  of  the  gofpels,  and  of  the 
A^s  of  the  Apoftles  ;  that  he  referred  to  the  hiftory 
in  the  fecond  chapter  of  Matthew,  and  recited  a 
|ext  of  that  gofpel  as  fpoken  by  our  Lord. 

IX.  At  titis  time,  viz.  about  the  year  170,  the 
f  hurches  of  Lyons  and  Vicnne  in  France  fcnt  a  re- 

*  Ibc  vol.  I.  p.  314. 

latioa 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  119 

lation  of  the  fiifFerings  of  their  martyrs  to  the 
churches  of  Afia  and  Phrygia*.  The  epiftle  is 
prefcrved  entire  by  Eufcbius.  And  what  carries  in 
fome  mcafure  the  teftimony  of  thefe  churches  to  a 
higher  age  is,  that  they  had  now  for  their  bilhop 
Porhinus,  who  was  ninety  years  old,  and  whofe 
early  life  confequcntly  muil  have  immediately  joined 
in  with  the  times  of  the  apoftles.  In  this  epiltle 
are  exaft  references  to  the  gofpels  of  Luke  and 
John,  and  to  the  Afts  of  the  apoftles.  The  form 
of  reference  the  fame  as  in  all  the  preceding  arti- 
cles. That  from  St.  John  is  in  thefe  words  :  "  then 
"  was  fulfilled  that  which  was  fpoken  by  the  Lord, 
"  that  whofoever  killeth  you,  will  think  that  he 
*'  doeth  God  fervicef." 

X.  The  evidence  now  opens  upon  us  full  and 
clear.  Irentcus  J  fucceeded  Pothinus  as  bilhop  of 
Lyons.  In  his  youth  he  had  been  a  difciple  of  Po- 
jycarp,  who  was  a  difciple  of  John.  In  the  time  in 
which  he  lived,  he  was  diflant  not  much  more  than 
a  century  from  the  publication  of  the  gofpels  ;  in 
his  inftruction,  qnly  by  one  (lep  feparated  from  the 
perfftus  of  the  apoflles.  He  aflerts  of  himfelf  and 
his  contemporaries,  that  they  were  able  to  reckon 
up,  in  all  the  principal  churches,  the  fuccellion  of 
bifliops  from  the  firfl  §.  I  remark  thefe  particulars 
concerning  Irena?as  wiih  more  formalii^y  liian  uiual ; 
becaufe  the  tefi-imcny  which  this  writer  aftbrds  to 
the  hiftorical  books  of  the  New  Teftament,  to  their 
authority,  and  to  the  titles  which  they  bear,  is  ex- 
prefs,  pofitive,  and  exclufive.  One  principal  paf- 
f.ige,  in  which  this  teftimony  is  contained,  opens 
with  a  precife  aflertion  of  the  point  which  we  have 
laid  down  as  the  foundation  of  cur  argument,  viz. 

*  lb.  vol.  I.  p.  332.         f  Joim  xvl.  2. 

J  lb.  vol.  I.  p.  344.  §  Adv.  Kaeief.  1.  3.  c  3. 

I  4  thdS 


lae  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

that  the  flory  which  the  gofpels  exhibit  is  the  ftory 
which  the  apoftles  told.  "  we  have  not  received," 
faith  IrencEus,  "  the  knov/ledge  of  the  way  of  our 
falvation  by  any  others  than  thofe  by  whom  the 
gofpel  has  been  brought  to  us.  Which  gofpel 
they  firft  preached,  and  afterwards,  by  the  will 
of  God,  committed  to  v^riting,  that  it  might  be 
for  time  to  come  the  foundation  and  pillar  of  our 

faith. For  after  that  our  Lord  rofe  from  the 

dead,  and  they  (the  apoftlcs)  were  endowed  from 
above  with  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghofl:  coming 
down  upon  them,  they  received  a  perfcft  know- 
ledge of  all  things.  They  then  went  forth  to  uU 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  declaring  to  men  the  blef- 
fings  of  heavenly  peace,  having  all  of  them,  and 
every  one  alike,  the  gofpel  of  God.  Matthew 
then,  among  the  Jews,  writ  a  gofpel  in  their  own 
language,  while  Peter  and  Paul  were  preaching 
the  gofpel  at  Rome,  and  founding  a  church  there. 
And  after  their  exit,  Mark  alfo,  the  difciple  and 
interpreter  of  Peter,  delivered  to  us  in  writing 
the  things  that  had  been  preached  by  Peter, 
And  Luke,  the  companion  of  Paul,  put  dov/n  in 
a  book  the  gofpel  preached  by  him  (Paul).  Af- 
terwards John,  the  difciple  of  the  Lord,  who  alfo 
leaned  upe-n  his  breail,  he  likewife  publifhed  a 
gofpel  while  he  dwelt  at  Ephefus  in  Afia.'*  If 
any  modern  divine  fliould  write  a  book  upon  the 
genuinenefs  of  the  gofpels,  he  could  not  aflert  it 
more  expnfsly,  orftate  their  original  more diflinctly, 
than  Iren^us  hath  done  within  little  more  than  a 
hundred  years  after  they  were  publifhed. 

The  correfpondency,  in  the  days  of  Irenceus,  of 
the  oral  and  written  tradition,  and  the  deduction  of 
the  oral  tradition  through  various  channels  from 
the  age  of  the  apoftles,  v/hich  was  then  lately  palled, 
gnd,  by  confequence,  the  probability  that  the  books 

truly 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  la, 

truly  delivered  what  the  apofllcs  taught,  is  Inferred 
■a\(o  with  ftrift  regularity  from  anoiht-r  paiTage  of  his 
works.  "  rhc  tradition  of  the  apoftles  (this  Father 
♦'  f.iith)  hath  fpread  iifclf  over  the  whole  univcrfe; 
"  and  all  they,  who  fjarch  after  the  fources  of  truth, 
"  will  find  this  tradiiion  to  be  held  facred  in  every 
"  church.  We  might  enumerate  all  thofe  who 
*'  have  been  appointed  biiliops  to  thefe  churches  by 
'••  the  apodles,  and  all  their  fuccciTors,  f.p  to  our 
"  days.  It  is  by  this  uninterrupted  fucceffion  that 
'^^  we  ha%'e  received  the  tradition  which  actually  e>:- 
■"  ids  in  the  church,  us  alfo  the  doftrines  of  truth, 
*"  as  it  was  preached  bv  the  apoflles*."  The  rea- 
der v/iil  obferve  upon  this,  that  the  fame  Irenacus, 
who  is  now  dating  the  flrengtli  and  uniJ-ormity  of 
the  tradition,  we  have  before  fcen,  recognizing, 
in  the  fulled  manner,  the  authority  of  the  written 
records ;  from  which  we  are  entitled  to  ccnciudc, 
that  thev  were  then  conformable  to  each  other. 

I  have  fi'.id,  that  the  tedimony  of  Irenosus  in  fa- 
vour of  Giy.!r  gofpels  is  cxchifive  of  all  others.  I 
allude  to  a  remarkable  paflage  in  his  works,  in 
which,  for  fome  reafons  iufficiently  fanciful,  he  en- 
deavours to  Hiow,  that  there  could  be  neither  more 
nor  fewer  gofpels  than  fcur.  Wnh  his  argument 
we  have  no  concern.  The  pofiiion  iifelf  proves 
tlia:  four  and  only  four  gofpels  were  at  that  time 
pu'^licly  read  and  acknowledged.  'Th:-it  ihefe  were 
cur  gofpels,  and  in  the  date  in  which  we  now  have 
them,  is  Ihown  from  many  other  places  of  this  wri- 
ter befide  that  which  we  have  alreiidy  alleged. 
He  mentions  how  Matthew  begins  his  gofpel,  how 
Mark  begins  and  ends  liis,  and  their  fuppofed  rea- 
fons for  \o  doinc!:.  He  enumerates  at  length  the 
l^wcral  padages  of  Chrld's  hidory  in  Luke,  which 

*  Ir.  in  llxx.  \.  jii.  c.  3. 

arc 


122  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

are  not  found  in  any  of  the  other  evangelifis.  He 
ftates  the  particular  defign  with  which  St.  John  com- 
pofcd  his  gofptl,  and  accounts  for  the  doftrinal  de- 
clarations which  precede  the  narrative. 

To  the  book  of  the  Acls  of  the  Apoilles,  its  au- 
tlior  and  credit,  the  teftimony  of  Irenseus  is  no  lefs 
explicit.  Re^'erring  to  the  account  of  St.  PauKs 
converfion  and  vocation,  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  that 
book,  "  Nor  can  they  (fays  he,  meaning  the  parties 
*'  with  whom  he  argues)  ihow  that  he  is  not  to 
"  be  credited,  who  has  related  to  us  the  truth  with 
"  the  greatefl  exaftnefs."  In  another  place,  he  has 
accurately  collected  the  feveral  texts,  in  which  the 
"writer  of  the  hidory  is  reprefented  as  accompanying 
St.  Paul,  which  leads  him  to  deliver  a  fummary  of 
almofl  the  whole  of  the  lafl  twelve  chapters  of  the 
book. 

In  an  author,  thus  abounding  with  references  and 
allufions  to  the  fcriptures,  there  is  not  one  to  any 
apocryphal  Chriftian  writing  whatever.  This  is  a 
broad  line  of  diflinction  between  our  facvi.-d  books, 
and  the  pretenfions  of  all  others. 

The  force  of  the  teftimony  of  the  period  which 
we  have  confidered,  is  greatly  llrengthened  by  the 
obfervation,  that  it  is  the  teftimony,  and  the  concur- 
ring teftimony,  of  writers  who  lived  in  centuries  re- 
mote from  one  another.  Clement  llouriflied  at 
Rome,  Ignatius  at  Antioch,  Polycarp  at  Smyrna, 
Juftin  Martyr  in  Syria,  and  Ircnasus  in  France. 

XI.  Omitting  Athenagor-s  and  Theophilus,  who 
lived  about  this  time*  ;  in  the  remaining  works  of 
the  former  of  whom  are  clear  references  to  Mark 
and  Luke  ;  and  in  the  works  of  the  latter,  who  was 
bifhop  of  Antioch,  the  fixth  in  fucceifion  from  the 
apoftics,  evident  allufions  to  Matthew  and  John,  and 

*  lb.  vol.  I.  p.  400. — lb.  422. 

probable 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  123 

probable  allufions  to  Luke,  (vvhicb,  connderinT  tlic 
nature  of  the  compofitions,  that  they  were  addrcflcd 
to  heathen  readers,  is  as  much  as  could  be  expeft- 
ed)  ;  o^fcrving  alfo,  that  the  works  of  two  learned 
Chriflian  writers  of  the  fame  aqje,  Miltiades  and 
Pantcrnus  *,  are  now  loll: ;  of  which  Miltiades  Eu- 
febius  records,  that  his  writings  "  were  monuments 
"  of  zeal  for  the  divine  oracles ;"  and  which  Pan- 
ta?nus,  as  Jerome  tellifies,  was  a  man  cf  prudence 
and  learning,  both  in  the  divine  fcnptures  and  fc- 
cular  literature,  and  had  left  many  commentaries 
iip^^n  the  holy  fcrirtures  then  extant :  palling  by 
thefe  without  further  remark,  we  come  to  one  of 
the  mod  voluminous  of  ancient  Chriftian  writers, 
Clement  of  Alexandria  |.  Clcmient  followed  Ire- 
naeus  at  the  diflance  of  only  fixtecn  years,  and  there- 
fore may  be  faid  to  maintain  the  feries  of  tcuimony 
in  an  uninterrupted  conrinuation. 

In  certain  of  Clement's  works,  now  loft,  but  of 
which  various  pans  are  recited  by  Eufebius,  there 
is  given  a  diftin^l  account  of  the  order  in  which  the 
four  gofpels  were  written.  The  gofpels,  which  con- 
tain the  genealogies,  were  (he  fays)  written  firft, 
M  n-k's  next,  at  the  infl: mce  of  Peter's  followers, 
and  J  hn's,  the  lail ;  and  this  account  (he  tells  us) 
that  he  had  received  from  Prefbyters  of  more  an- 
cient times.  This  teflimony  provL-s  the  following 
points ;  that  thefe  gofpels  were  the  hiftories  of 
ChriO:  then  publicly  received,  and  relied  upon  ;  that 
the  dates,  occafions,  and  circumftances  of  their  pub- 
lication, were  at  that  time  fu' jc£ts  of  attention  and 
enquiry  amongfl  ChiilHans.  In  the  works  of  Cle- 
ment which  remain,  the  four  gofpels  are  repeatedly 
quoted  by  the  names  of  their  authors,  and  the  afts 
of  the  apoflles  is  exprefsly  afcribed  to  Luke.     In 

••   lb.  vol.  I.  p.  418,  450.        t  lb.  vol.  II.  p.  469. 

one 


124  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

one  place,  after  mentioning  a  particular  circuni- 
idance,  he  adds  thefe  remarkable  words :  "  We  have 
'^  not  this  pafTage  in  the  four  gof pels  delivered  to  us, 
"  but  in  that  according  to  the  Egyptians  ;"  which 
puts  a  marked  diflin6lion  between  the  four  gofpels 
and  all  other  hiftories,  or  pretended  hiftories  of 
Chrifl»  In  another  part  of  h's  works,  the  perfeft 
confidence,  with  which  he  received  the  gofpels,  is 
Signified  by  him  in  thefe  words :  "  That  this  is  true 
"  appears  from  hence,  that  it  is  written  in  the  gof- 
"  pel  according  to  St.  Luke  ;"  and  again,  "  I  need 
"=  not  ufe  many  words,  but  only  to  allege  the  evan- 
*'  gelic  voice  of  the  Lord."  His  quotations  are 
liUmerous.  The  fayhigs  of  Chrill:,  of  which  he 
alleges  many,  are  all  taken  from  our  gofpels,  the 
fmgie  exception  to  this  obfervation  appearing  to  be 
a  loofe*  quotation  of  a  paiTage  in  Sr.  Matthew's 
gofpel. 

XII.  In  the  age  in  which  they  lived  f ,  Tertullian 
joins  on  with  Clement.  The  number  of  the  gofpels 
then  received,  the  names  of  the  evangelifls,  and 
their  proper  defcriptions,  are  exhibited  by  this  wri- 
ter in  one  fliort  fentence ;— "  Among  the  apojiles, 
"  John  and  Matthew  teach  us  the  faith  j  among 
*'  apoflolical  rneuy  Luke  and  Mark  refreili  it."  The 
next  pafTage  to  be  taken  from  Tertullian,  affords  as 
complete  an  atteflation  of  the  authenticity  of  our 

*  "  Afk  great  things,  and  the  fmall  fliall  be  added  unto 
"  ytni."  Clement  rather  chofe  to  expound  the  words  of  Mat- 
thew (vi.  33.)  than  literally  to  cite  them  ;  and  this  is  moH:  un- 
deniably proved  by  another  place  in  the  fame  Clement,  where 
he  both  produces  the  text  and  thefe  words  as  an  eypofition  : 
— *'  Seek  ye  firft  ths  kingdom  of  heaven  and  its  righteonfnefs, 
"  for  thefe  are  the  great  things  ;  but  the  fmall  things,  and  things 
*'  relating  to  this  life,  fhall  be  added  unto  you."  Jones's  New 
and  Full  Method,  vol.  I.  p.  553. 

f  lb.  vol.  II.  jp.  561. 

books, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  125 

books,  as  can  be  Well  imagined.  After  enumerating 
the  churches  which  h:id  been  founded  by  Paul,  at 
Corinth,  in  Galatia,  at  Philippi,  ThclTalonica,  and 
Ephcfas  ;  the  church  of  Romp  eflablifhed  by  Peter 
and  Paul ;  and  other  churches  derived  from  John  ; 
he  proceeds  thus : — "  I  fiy  then,  that  with  them, 
"  but  not  with  them  only  which  are  apoflolical,  but 
*'  with  all  who  h  ive  fcllowfliip  with  them  in  the 
'•  fame  fliiih,  is  tliat  gofpcl  of  Luke  received  from 
"  its  firfl  publication,  which  ws  fo  zealoully  main- 
"tain:"  and  prefently  afterw.irds  adds — "  The 
"  fame  authority  of  the  apoflolical  cliurches  will 
"  fupport  the  other  gjofpels,  which  we  have  from 
*•  them,  and  according  to  them,  I  mean  John's  and 
"  Matthev/'s,  although  that  likewifc,  which  Mark 
"  publilhed,  may  be  faid  to  be  Peter's,  whofe  inter- 
**  preter  Mark  was/*  In  another  place  Tertulliau 
affirms,  that  the  three  other  gofpels  were  in  the 
hands  of  the  churches  from  the  beginning,  as  well 
as  Luke's.  This  noble  tcfiimony  fixes  the  univer- 
lality  with  which  the  gofpels  were  received,  and 
their  antiquity ;  that  they  were  in  the  hands  of  all, 
and  had  b.^en  fo  from  the  firft.  And  this  evidence 
appears  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  years 
after  the  publication  of  the  books.  The  reader  mud 
be  given  to  underfland  that,  when  Tertullian  fpeaks 
of  maintaining  or  defending  (tuendi)  the  gofpel  of 
St.  Luke,  he  only  means  maintaining  or  defending 
the  integrity  of  the  copies  of  Luke  received  by 
Chriftian  churches,  in  oppofition  to  certiiin  curtailed 
copies  ufed  by  Marcion,  agalnft  whom  he  writes. 

Tills  author  frequently  cites  the  Afts  of  the  apof- 
ilcs  under  that  title,  once  calls  it  Luke's  commen- 
tary, and  obferves  how  St.  Paul's  epiftles  confirm  it. 

After  thii  general  evidence,  it  is  unneceffary  to 
add  particular  quotations.  Thefe,  however,  are  (o 
numerous  and  ample,  as  to  have  led  Ur.  L'ctrdnerto 

obferve, 


125  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

obferve,  "  that  there  are  more,  and  larger  quotit- 
*'  tions  of  the  fmall  volume  of  the  New  Teftament 
*'  in  this  one  Chriftian  author  than  thrre  are  of  all 
"  the  works  of  Cicero  in  writers  of  all  characters 
"  for  feveral  ages*." 

Tertullian  quotes  no  Chriftian  writing  as  of  equal 
authority  with  the  fcripturcs,  and  no  fpurious  book 
at  all ;  a  broad  line  of  diflinction,  we  may  once 
more  obferve,  between  our  facrcd  books  and  all 
others. 

We  may  again  likewife  remark  the  wide  extent 
through  which  the  reputation  of  the  gofpels,  and 
of  the  a6ts  of  the  apoftles,  had  fpread,  and  the  per- 
fect confeht  in  this  point  of  diftant  and  independent 
focieties.  It  is  now  only  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  lince  Chrift  was  crucified  ;  and  within  this 
period,  to  fay  nothing  of  the  apollolical  fathers  who 
have  been  noticed  already,  we  have  Judin  Martyr 
at  Neapolis,  Theophilus  at  Antioch,  Irenceus  in 
France,  Clement  at  Alexandria,  Tertullian  at  Car- 
thage, quoting  the  fame  books  of  hiftorical  fcrip- 
lures,  and,  I  may  fay,  quoting  thefe  alone. 

XIII.  An  interval  of  only  thirty  years,  and  that 
occupied  by  no  fmall  number  of  Chriftian  writers |, 
whofe  works  only  remain  in  fragments  and  quota- 
tions, and  in  every  one  of  which  is  fome  reference 
or  other  to  the  gofpels,  (and  in  one  of  ihem  (Hip- 
polytus,  as  preferved  in  Theodoret)  is  an  abftraCt  of 
the  whole  gofpel  hiflory)  brings  us  to  a  name  of 
great  celebrity  in  Chriftian  antiquity,  Origen|  of 
Alexandria,  who,  in  the  quantity  of  his  v/ritings, 

*  Lardner's  Cred.  vol-  II.  p.  647. 

f  Minucius  Felix,  Apollonius,  Caius,  Afterius,  Urbanns, 
Alexander  Billiop  of  Jerufalem,  Hippolytus,  Amxnonius,  Ju 
Hus  Africarais. 

i  lb.  vol.  III.  p.  234, 

exceeded 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY,  J27 

cxcrecdcd  the  mofl  laborious  of  the  Greek  and  Latin 
authors.  Nothing  can  be  more  peremptory  upon 
the  fubjefl  now  under  confideration,  and,  from  a 
writer  of  his  learning  and  information,  more  (iuis- 
fa(^ory,  than  the  declaration  of  Origcn,  prcferved, 
in  an  extract  from  his  works,  by  Eufebius :  "  That 
"  the  four  gofpels  alone,  are  received  withcnit  dif- 
"  pure,  by  the  whole  church  of  God  under  heaven;" 
to  which  declaration  is  immediately  fubjoined  a  brief 
hi'lory  of  the  refpeflive  authors,  to  whom  they  were 
then,  as  they  are  now,  afcribed.  'Hie  language 
bolden  concerning  the  gofpels  throughout  the  works 
of  Ori^cn  which  remain,  entirely  correfponds  with 
the  teftimony  here  cited.  His  atteflation  to  the  at^s 
of  the  apoftles  is  no  lefs  pofitive  :  "  And  Luke  alfo 
"  once  more  founds  the  trumpet  relating  the  a^s  of 
"  the  apoftics."  The  univerfality  with  which  the 
fcriptures  were  then  read,  is  well  fignified  by  this 
writer,  in  a  palTage  in  which  he  has  occafion  to  cb- 
fcrvc  againft  Celfus,  "  That  it  is  not  in  any  private 
"  books,  or  fuch  as  are  read  by  a  few  only,  and 
**  thofe  (ludious  perfons,  but  in  books  read  by  every 
"  body,  that  it  is  wrirten,  the  invifible  thin^^s  of 
"  God  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly 
*'  feen,  being  underftood  by  things  that  are  made." 
It  is  to  no  purpofe  to  fmgle  out  quotations  of  fcrip- 
ture  from  fuch  a  writer  as  this.  We  might  as  well 
make  Ji  felccflion  of  the  quotations  of  fcripture  in  Dr. 
Clark's  f.  rmons.  •  They  are  fo  thickly  fown  in  the 
works  of  Origen,  that  Dr.  Mill  liiys,  "  If  we  had 
"  all  his  works  remaining,  we  fliould  have  before  us 
"  almoft  the  whole  text  of  the  Bible*." 

Origen  notices,  in  order  to  cenfure,  certain  apo- 
cryphal gofpels.  He  alfo  ufes  four  writings  of  this 
fort  j  that  is,  throughout  his  large  works  he  once 

*  Mill,  prolcj.  cap.  vi.  p.  66. 

or 


129  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

or  twice,  at  the  moft,  quotes  each  of  the  four;  but 
always  with  feme  mark,  either  of  direftTeprobation, 
or  of  caution  to  his  readers,  ir.anifedly  efheeming. 
them  of  little  or  of  no  authority. 

XIV.  Gregory,  Bi&op  of  Neocc^farea,  and  Dio- 
liyfius  of  Alexandria,  were  fcholars  of  Origen. — 
Their  teftimony,  therefore,  though  full  and  parti- 
cular, may  be  reckoned  a  repetition  only  of  his. 
The  feries,  however,  of  evidence,  is  continued  by 
Cyprian,  Bifliop  of  Carthage,  who  fiourifhed  within 
twenty  years  after  Origen.  "  The  church  (fays  this 
''  father)  is  watered,  like  Paradife,  by  four  rivers, 
"  that  is,  by  four  gofpeis."  The  Afts  of  the  Apof- 
tles  is  alfo  frequently  quoted  by  Cyprian  under  that 
name,  and  under  the  name  of  the  "  divine  fcrip- 
"  tures.'*  In  his  various  writings  are  fnch  conftant 
End  copious  citations  of  fcripture,  as  to  place  this 
part  of  the  teftimony  beyond  controverfy.  Nor  is 
there,  in  the  works  of  this  eminent  African  Bilhop, 
one  quotation  of  a  fpurious  or  apocryphal  Chriftian 
writing. 

XV.  Failing  over  a  crowd*  of  writers  following 
Cyprian,  at  different  diftances,  but  all  within  forty 
years  of  his  time,  and  who  all,  in  the  imperfect  re- 
mains of  their  works,  either  cite  the  hiftorical  fcrip- 
tures  of  the  New  Teftament,  or  fpeak  of  them  in- 
terms  of  profound  refpecl  ♦  I  fmgle  out  Vi6lorin, 
Bifliop  of  Pettaw  in  Germany,  merely  on  account 
of  the  remotcnefs  of  his  fituation  from  that  of  Origen 
and  Cyprian,  who  were  Africans  ;  by  which  circura- 
fiance,  his  teflimonv  taken  in  conjun^licn  with  theirs, 
proves  that  the  fcripture  hiftories,  and  the  fame  hif- 


*  Ncva'Ais  Rome,  A.  D.  251.  Dionyfius,  Rome,  A.  D. 
259.  CommcdKin,  A.  D.  270.  Anatolius,  Laodit-ea,  A. 
D.  270.  TheognoPais,  A.  D.  2S2.  Methodius,  Lycia,  A. 
D.  290.  Phileas,  Egypt,  296. 


tones 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  129 

tories,  were  known  and  received  from  one  fide  ot 
the  Chriftian  world  to  the  other.  This  Bifliop  * 
lived  about  the  year  290;  and  in  a  commentary 
upon  this  text  of  the  Revelation,  "  the  firfh  was  like 
"  a  lion,  the  fecond  like  a  calf,  the  third  like  a  man, 
«  and  the  fourth  like  a  flying  eagle,"  he  makes  out 
that  by  the  four  creatures  are  intended  the  four  gof- 
pels,  and,  to  fliow  the  propriety  of  the  fymbols,  he 
recites  the  fubjeft  with  which  each  evangelift  opens 
his  hiftory.  The  explication  is  fanciful,  but  the  tcf- 
timony  pofitive.  He  alio  exprcfsly  cites  the  a^s  of 
the  apoftles. 

XVI.  Arnobius  and  Laftantius*,  about  the  year 
300,  compofed  formal  arguments  upon  the  credibi- 
lity ol  the  Chriftian  religion.  As  thefe  arguments 
were  addreffed  to  Gentiles,  the  authors  abftain  from 
quoting  Chriftian  books  by  name,  one  of  them  giving 
this  very  reafon  for  his  referve  :  but  when  they  come 
to  ftate,  for  the  information  of  their  readers,  the 
outlines  of  Chrift's  hiftory,  it  is  apparent  that  they 
draw  their  accounts  from  our  gofpels,  and  from  no 
other  fources  ;  for  thefe  ftatemcnrs  exhibit  a  fam- 
mary  of  almoft  every  thing  which  is  related^  of 
Chri/l's  anions  and  miracles  by  the  four  evangelifts. 
Arnobius  vindicates,  without  mentioning  their  names, 
the  credit  of  thefe  hiftorians,  obferving  that  they 
were  eye-witnelTes  of  the  fafts  which  they  relate, 
and  that  their  ignorance  of  the  art  of  compofition 
was  rather  a  confirmation  of  their  tcftimony,  than 
an  obje£lion  to  it.  Laftantius  alfo  argues  in  defence 
of  the  religion,  from  the  confiftency,  fimpliciiy,  dif- 
intereftednefs,  and  fufFerings  of  the  Chriftian  hifto- 
rians, meaning  by  that  term  our  evangelifts. 

*    Ibid  vol.  V.  p.  214. 

I   Ibid  vol.  VII.  p.  43,  201. 

K  XVII. 


130  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

XVII.  Wc  clofe  the  feries  of  teftlraonies  with 
that  of  Eufeblus*,  Bifhop  of  Caefarea.  who  fiou- 
riilied  in  the  year  315,  contemporary  with,  or  pof- 
terior  only  by  fifteen  years,  to  the  two  authors  laH: 
cited.  This  vohiminous  writer,  and  inoft  dihgcnt 
cojle6lor  of"  the  writings  of  oihers,  bcfide  a  variety 
of  large  works,  compofed  a  hiftory  of  the  affairs  of 
ChrKHanity  from  its  origin  to  his  own  time.  His 
leftimony  to  the  fcriptures,  is  the  teftimony  of  a  man 
much  converfant  in  the  works  of  Chriftian  authors, 
written  durine  the  three  firft  centuries  of  its  sera  ; 
and  who  had  read  many  which  are  now  loft.  In  a 
paffage  of  his  evangelical  demonftration,  Eufebius 
remarks,  with  great  nicety,  the  delicacy  of  two  of 
the  evangeliib,  in  their  manner  of  noticing  any  cir- 
cumllance  which  regarded  themfelves,  and  of  Mark, 
as  writing  under  Peter's  direction,  in  the  circum- 
ftances  which  regarded  him.  The  illuftration  of  ihis 
remark  leads  him  to  bring  together  long  quotations 
from  each  of  the  evangeliils  ;  and  the  whole  paffage 
is  a  proof,  that  Eufebius,  and  the  Chriftians  of  thofe 
days,  not  only  read  ttie  gofpels,  but  ftudied  them, 
with  attention  and  exaftnefs.  In  a  paffage  of  his 
,  ccclefiaftical  hiftory,  he  treats,  in  form,  and  at  large, 
of  the  occafioDS  of  writing  the  four  gofpels,  and  of 
the  order  iu  which  they  were  written.  The  title  of 
the  chapter  is  *'  Of  the  Order  of  the  Gofpels ;"  and 
it  begins  thus  :  "  Let  us  obferve  the  writings  of 
'•  this  apoftle  John,  which  are  not  contradicted  by 
''  any  ;  and,  firft  of  all,  mud  be  mentioned,  as  ac- 
"  knowledged  by  all,  the  gofpel  according  to  him, 
'*  well  known  to  all  the  churches  under  heaven  ; 
'■'  and  that  it  has  been  juftly  placed  by  the  ancients 
*-'  the  fourth  in  orJer,  and  after   the  other  three, 


=-^  Ibid  vol.  VIII.  p.  33. 


may 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  131 

**  may  be  made  evident  in  this  manner."  Eufebius 
then  proceeds  to  fliov/  that  John  wrote  the  lad  of 
the  four,  and  that  his  gofpcl  was  intended  to  fapply 
the  omiffions  of  the  others,  efpecially  in  the  part  of 
our  Lord's  miniftry,  which  took  place  before  the 
imprifonment  of  John  the  Baptifl:.  He  obferves, 
*'  that  the  apoftles  of  Chrift  were  not  ftiidious  of 
"  the  ornaments  of  compofition,  nor  indeed  forward 
"  to  write  at  all,  being  wholly  occupied  with  their 
*'  miniftry.'* 

This  learned  author  makes  no  ufe  at  all  of  Chrif- 
tian  writings,  forged  with  the  names  of  Chrid's  apof- 
tles,  or  their  companions. 

We  clofe  this  branch  of  our  evidence  here ;  be- 
caufe,  after  Eufebius,  there  is  no  room  for  any 
queftion  upon  the  fubjc6t,  the  works  of  Chriflian 
writers  being  as  full  of  texts  of  fcripture,  and  of  re- 
ferences to  fcripture,  as  the  difcourfes  of  modern 
divines.  Future  reltimonies  to  the  book?  of  fcrip- 
ture could  only  prove  that  they  never  loll  their  cha- 
rafter  or  authority. 


K  a  SECT. 


132  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


SECT.     II. 


W/jen  the  fcripiures  are  quoted.,  or  alluded  to,  ihey 
are  quoted  with  peculiar  refpect^  as  books  fui  generis , 
as  pojfeffing  an  authority  nvhich  belonged  to  no  other 
books ^  and  as  conclufi-ve  in  all  quejlions  and  contro- 
verfies  amongjl  Chrijiians. 


'ESIDE  the  general  flrain  of  reference 
and  quotation,  which  uniformly  and  ftrongly  indi- 
cates this  dilllnftion,  the  following  may  be  regarded 
as  fpecific  teftimonies. 

I.  Theophilus*,  Bifliop  of  Antioch,  the  fixth  in 
rLiccefiion  from  the  apoftles,  and  who  flourifhed  little 
more  than  a  century  after  the  books  of  the  New 
Tcftament  were  written,  having  occafion  to  quote 
one  of  our  gofpels,  writes  thus  :  '  Thefe  things  the 
'  holy  fcriptures  teach  us,  and  all  who  were  moved 
'  by  the  holy  fpirit,  among  whom  John  f;iys,  in  the 
'  beginning  was  the  w\ord,  and  the  word  was  with 
'  God.'  Again  ;  '  concerning  the  righteoufnefs 
'  which  the  law  teaches,  the  like  things  are  to  be 
'  found  in  the  prophets  and  the  gofpels,  becaufe  that 
'  all  being  infpired,  fpoke  by  one  and  the  fame  fpirit 
'  of  God-|-.'  No  words  can  teftify  more  flrongly 
than  thcfe  do,  the  high  and  peculiar  rcfpeft  in  which 
thefe  books  w^re  holden. 

II.  A  writer  againit  Artemon];,  who  maybe  fup- 
pofcd  to  cornc  about  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight 
years  after  the  publication  of  the  fcriptures,  in  a 
pafTige  quoted  by  Eufebius,  ufes  thefe  exprellions : 

*   Lard.  Cred.  pr.  ii.  vol.  I.  p.  429. 
.    t  Lard.  Cred.  p.  448.  %'  lb.  vol.  III.  p.  40. 

'  Poffibly 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  133 

"■'  Pofllbly  what  tlicy  (our  advcrfaries)  fay,  might 
'  have  been  credited,  if  firji  of  all  the  divine  fcrip- 

*  tures  did  not  contradi^  them  ;  and  then  tlic  wri- 
'  tings  of  certain  brethren,  more  ancient  than  the 
'  times  of  Vi«5lor.'  The  brethren  mentioned  by 
name,  are,  Juftin,  Miltiades,  Tatiaii,  Clement,  Ire- 
nseus,  Mehto,  with  a  general  appeal  to  many  more 
HOC  named.  This  paflfage  proves,  tlrd,  that  there 
was  at  that  time  a  collection  called  divine  Icriptures; 
fecondly,  that  thefe  fcriptiires  were  citeemed  of 
higher  authority  than  the  writings  of  the  mod  early 
and  celebrated  Chriflians. 

III.  In  a  piece  afcribed  to  Hippolitus*,  who  lived 
near  the  fame  time,  the  author  profelTcs,  in  giving 
his  correfpondent  inflruiflion  in  the  things  about 
which  he  enquires,  '  to  draw  our  of  the  facred  foun- 
'  tain,  and  to  fct  before  him  the  facred  fcriptures, 
'  what  may  alTord  him  fatisfaflion.'  He  then  quotes 
immediately  Paul's  epiftles  to  Timothy,  and  after- 
wards many  books  of  the  New  Tellament.  This 
preface   to  the  quotations,  carries    in  it  a  marked 

.  diftinftion  between  the  fcriptures  and  other  books. 

IV.  '  Our  aflertions  and  difcourfes,'  faith  Ori- 
gen|,  '  are  unworthy  of  credit ;  we  mud  receive 
'  xht  fcriptures  as  witnelTes.*  After  treating  of  the 
duty  of  prayer,  he  proceeds  with  his  argument  thus : 

*  what  we  have  faid  may  be  proved  from  the  divine 

*  fcriptures.'  In  his  books  againft  Celfus,  we  find 
this  paffage :  '  That  our  religion  teaches  us  to  feek 
'  after  wifdom,  fliall  be  diowi),  both  out  of  the  an- 
'  cient  Jewilh  fcriptures  which  we  alfo  ufe,  and  out 
'  of  thofe  written  fmce  Jefus,  which  are  believed  in 
'  the  churches  to  be  divine.'  Thefe  expredions 
aft'ord  abundant  evidence  of  the  peculiar  and  exclu- 
five  authority  which  the  fcriptures  podeded. 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  III.  p.  1 1 2.         f  lb.  p.  287,  288,  289. 

K  3  V.  Cy- 


1 


134  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

V.  Cyprian,  Bifliop  of  Carthage*,  whofe  ap;e 
lies  clofe  to  that  of  Origen,  earneflly  exhorts  Chrif- 
tian  teachers  in  all  doubtful  cafes,  '  to  go  back  to 
*"  iht  fountain  ;  and  if  the  truth  has  in  any  cafe  been 
'  fhaken,  to  recur  to  the  gofpels  and  apoftoiic  wri- 
'  tings.'—*  The  precepts  of  the  gofpel,'  fays  he  in 
another  place,  *  are  nothing  lefs  than  authoritative 

*  divine   leffons,  the  foundations  of  our  hope,  the 

*  fupports  of  our  faith,  the  guides  of  our  way,  the 

*  fafe-guards  of  our  courfe  to  heaven.' 

VI.  Novatus-j-,  a  Roman,  contemporary  with 
Cyprian,  appeals  to  the  fcriptures,  as  the  authority 
by  which  all  errors  were  to  be  repelled,  znd  difputes 
decided.     '  Ihat  Chrift  is  not  only  man   but  God 

*  alfo,  is  proved  by  the  facred  authority  of  the  dl- 
'  vine  writings.* — '  The  divine  fcripture  eafily  deiefts 
'  and  confutes  the  frauds  of  heretics.' — '  it  is  not 
'  by  the  fault  of  the  heavenly  fcriptures,  which  ne- 

*  ver  deceive.'  Stronger  aflenions  than  thcfe  could 
not  be  ufed. 

VII.  At  the  diflance  of  twenty  years  from  the 
writer  lad  cited,  AnatoliusJ,  a  learned  Alexandrian, 
and  Bifiiop  of  Laodicea,  fpeaking  of  the  rule  for 
keeping  Eafcer,  a  queftjon  at  that  day  agitated  with 
much  earneftnefs,  fays  of  thofe  whom  he  oppofed, 
'  they  can  by  no  means  prove  their  point  by  the 
'  authority  of  the  divine  fcripture.' 

VIII.  The  Allans,  who  fprung  up  about  fifty 
years  after  this,  argued  ffrenuouily  a^ainft  the  uf:^ 
of  the  words  confubftantial  and  eflence,  and  like 
phrafes ;  '  hecaufe  they  zvere  not  in  fcripture^.'  And 
in  the  fame  ftrain,  one  of  their  advocates  opens  a 
conference  with  Au^uftine,  after  the  following  man- 
ner:  '  If  you  fay  what  is  reafonable,  I  muft  fubmit. 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  IV.  p.  840.     t  lb.  vol.  V.  p.  102. 

I  lb.  Cred.  vol,  V.  p.  146,  §  lb.  vol.  VII.  p.  283,  284. 

'  If 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIAKI IT.  y^S 

<  If  you  -Allege  any  thin-  from  the  Jivmc  fcr'.ptures 

<  x\-liich  arc  common   to   both,  1   mnft   hca--.     Jinr 
'  nnfrriptural  cxprcflions  (qunc  extra  fcripturam  funr) 

'  deCtrve  no  regard.'  r     ^  ■     -r 

Aihanafius,  the  great  antagon.ft  oF  Ananwin, 
aft-r  hivincT  enumerated  the  books  of  the  Old  am. 
New  Teilamenr,  adds  '*  thefe  aie  the  fountains  ot 
-■  lalv.ition,  t'  at  he  who  thirfts  may  be  fatisfied  wuh 
'^  :.,-rj<k-  contained  in  them.  U  thtfe  alone 
"i  X  ,  .  arine  of  l^dvation  is  proclaimed.  Ln  no 
".man    ^dd     to    them,     or    take    any    thing    from 

'<  th.-m*." 

IX.  Cyril,  BiHiop  of  Jeruf^demf,  ^^no  wrote 
ihout  twenty  years  after  the  appearance  of  Anan- 
ifm,  nfcs  thefe  remarkable  words  :  "  concernmg  the 
''  divine  and  holy  myiteries  of  faith,  not  the  iealt 
"  article  ou'^it  to  be  delivered  without  the  divme 
*'  fcrioturcs?''  We  are  affured,  that  Cyril's  fcrip- 
tures  were  the  fame  as  ours,  for  he  has  left  us  a  ca- 
talogue of  the  books  included  under  thut  name. 

X.    EpiphaniusJ,  twenty  years  afier  Cyril,  chal- 
lenges  the   Arians,   and    the  followers  of   Orifien 
«  to  produce  any  parage  of  the  Old^cr  New   i.cf- 
"  tament,  favc>uring  their  fentimcnts." 

Xi.  ]"aa?baJius/a  Gallic  Biihop  who  lived  aboirt 
thirty  years  after  the  council  of  Nice,  teOifies,  that 
^'^  the  biHiops  of  that  council  firft  conftiltcd  the  fa- 
^-  cred  volumes,  and  then  declared  their  faith §." 

XII  Bafil,  BiQiop  of  Cirfurea,  in  Cappadociii, 
contemporary  with  Epiphanius,  fays,  -that  hearers 
^'  inftruc^ed  in  the  fcriptures,  ought  to  examine  what 
"  is  faid  by  their  teachers,  and  to  embrace  what  u 
"  a:;reeable  to  the  fcriptures,  and  to  rejea  what  is 
*'  othiirwifeli." 

*   LarJ.  Cred.  vol.  XII.  p.  1S2.         f   lb.  vok  VIII.  p.  276. 
t  lb.  p.  314.     §  lb.  vol.  IX.  p.  52.     li   lb.  vol.  IX.  p.  124. 

K  4  >^"^- 


1^6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

XIII.  Ephraim,  the  Syrian,  a  celebrated  writer 
of  the  fame  times,  bears  this  conclufive  teftimony  to 
the  propofition  which  forms  the  fubjeft  of  our  pre- 
fent  chapter  :  "  The  truth  written  in  the  facred  vo- 
"  lume  of  the  gofpel,  is  a  perfect  rule.  Nothing 
"  can  be  taken  from  it,  nor  added  to  it,  without 
"  great  guilt  *." 

XIV.  If  we  add  Jerome  to  thefe,  it  is  only  for 
the  evidence  which  he  aifords  of  the  judgment  of 
preceding  ages.  Jerome  obferves,  concerning  the 
quotations  o^  ancient  Chriftian  writers,  that  is,  of 
writers  who  were  ancient  in  the  year  400,  that  they 
made  a  diftinflion  between  books,  fome  they  quoted 
as  of  authority,  and  others  not :  which  obfervation 
relates  to  the  books  of  fcripture,  compared  with 
other  writings,  apocryphal  or  heathen  |. 


SECT.    m. 

"The  fcriptures  were  in  very  early  times  coUe^ed 
into  a  dijiin^l  volume, 

Ignatius,  who  was  BiHiop  of  An- 

tioch  within  forty  years  after  the  afcenfion,  and  who 
had  lived  and  converfed  with  the  apoftles,  fpeaks 
of  the  gofpel  and  of  the  apoflles,  in  terms  which 
render  it  very  probable,  that  he  meant  by  the  gof- 
pel, the  book  or  volume  of  the  gofpels,  and  by  the 
apoftles,  the  book  or  volume  of  their  epiftles.  His 
words  in  one  place  are  J,    "  fleeing  to  the  gofpel  as 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  IX.  p.  202.         f  lb.  vol.  X.  p.  123,  124. 
X  lbs  pr.  ii.  vol.  I.  p.  180. 

the 


EVIDENCES  OF  CURlSTIANirY.  137 

*  the  flefli  of  jefus,   und  to  the  apoftlcs  us  tl.e  pref- 

*  byiery  of  the  church  ;'  that  is,  as  Le  Clerc  in- 
terprets them,  "  in  order  to  imdcrlfand  the  will  of 

*  God,  he  fled  to  tlie  gofpels,  which  he  believed  no 
'  lefs  than  if  Chrift  in  the  ficfh  had  been  fpeaking 
«  to  him  ;   and  to  the  writings  of  the  apodles,  whom 

*  he  cfteemed  as  the  prcibytery  of  the  whole  Chrii- 
«  tian  church.'  It  mull  be  obfcrved,  that  about 
eighty  years  after  this  wc  have  direft  proof,  in  the 
writings  of  Clement  oi'  Alexandria  *,  that  thcfc  two 
namest  "  gofpel"  and  *^  apoltles,''  were  the  names 
by  which  the  writings  of  the  New  Tcltament,  and 
the  divifion  of  thefe  writings,  were  ufually  exprefled. 

Another  paffagc  from  Ignatius  is  the  followin'j: : — 

*  But  the  gofpelhas  fomewhat  in  it  more  excellent, 
'the    appearance    of   our   Lord    Jefus    Chriif,   his 

*  pallion,  and  refurrection  f.' 

And  a  third,  '  Ye  ought  to  hearken  to  the  pro- 
«  phets,  but  cfpecially  to  the  gofpel,  in  which  the 
'  pafllon  has  been  manifefled  to  us,  and  the  rtfurrcc- 
«  tion  perfeaed.'  In  this  lafl:  pafiage  the  prophets 
and  the  gofpel  are  put  in  conjunftion  ;  and  as  Igna- 
tius undoubtedly  meant  by  the  prophets  a  colleftion 
of  writings,  it  is  probable  that  he  meant  the  fame 
by  the  gofpel,  the  two  terms  (landing  in  evident 
parallelifm  with  each  other. 

This  interpretation  of  the  word  '  gofpel'  in  the 
pafTage  above  quoted  from  Ignatius,  is  conlirraed  by 
a  piece  of  nearly  equal  antiquity,  the  relation  of  the 
martyrdom  of  Polycarp  by  the  church  of  Smyrna. 
'  All  things,'  fay  they,  '  that  went  before  were  done. 
«  that  the'^Lord  might  (liow  us  a  martyrdom  accord- 
'  ing  to  the  gofpel,^  for  he  expefted  to  be  delivered 
'  up  as  the  Lord  alfo  did  +.'     And  in  another  place, 

*  Lard.  Crci.  vol.  IL  p.  516.  f  lb.  p.  182. 

i  Ig.  Ep.  c.  i. 

*  we 


13-8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  we  do  not  commend  thofe  who  oHer  tliemfclves, 
'  forafrauch  as  the  gcfpel  teaches  us  no  fiich  thing*.' 
In  both  thefe  places,  whar  is  called  i be  go/pel  (rcms 
to  be  the  hiftory  of  Jefus  Chriil,  and  of  his  doc- 
trine. 

If  this  be  the  true  fenfc  of  the  pafiages,  they  are 
not  only  evidences  of  our  propofiiion,  hut  flnng, 
and  very  ancient,  proofs  of  the  high  cfleem  in  which 
the  books  of  the  New  Teflament  were  holdrn. 

II.  Eufebiiis  relates,  that  Quadrat  us  and  fome 
oiheis,  who  were  the  immediate  fuccelTors  of  the 
apoftles,  traveUmg  abroad  to  preach  Chrift,  carried 
the  gofpels  with  them  and  delivered  them  to  rhcir 
converts.  The  words  of  Eufebius  are,  '  then  tra- 
*  veiling  abroad,  ihey  performed  the  work  of  evan- 
'  gelids,  being  ambitious  to  preach  Chrif!:,  and  deli- 
'  ver  thefcripture  of  the  divine  go/pels  -j-.'  Eufebius 
had  before  him  the  writings  both  of  Quadratus  liim- 
felf,  and  of  many  others  of  that  age,  which  are  now 
jou.  It  is  rcaf^  nabie,  therefore,  to  believe,  that  he 
had  eood  grounds  for  his  alTcrtion.  What  is  thus 
recorded  of  the  gofpels  took  place  within  fixty,  or 
at  the  rnoft  feventy,  years  afcer  they  v.^ere  pubiiihed  ; 
and  it  is  evident,  that  they  mull,  before  this  time, 
and,  it  is  probable,  long  before  this  tune,  have  been 
in  general  ufe,  and  in  high  eftecm  in  the  churches 
planted  by  the  spoftles ;  inafrauch  as  they  were  now, 
wx  find,  collecled  into  a  volume,  and  the  immediate 
fucceiTors  of  the  apoftles,  they  who  preached  the 
religion  of  Chrifl  to  thofe  who  had  not  already 
heard  it,  carried  the  volume  with  them,  and  delivered 
it  to  their  converts. 

III.  IrencEUs,  in  the  year  178];,  puts  the  evange-- 
lie  and  apoftolic  writings  in  connection  with  the  law 

*   Ig.  Ep.  c.  iv.         t  Lard.  Cred.  p.  ii.  vol.  I.  p.  236. 
X  lb.  vol.  I.  p.  383. 

and 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  13^ 

and  the  prophets,  mniiifeftly  hitcnding  by  the  one  a 
code  or  coUeaion  of  Chriltian  (licred  wnnngG  a. 
the  other  expreiTcd  the  code  or  collcaion  of  Jcw- 
ifii  facred  writings.     And,  ^  ^     ,.  •-    . 

IV  Mehto,  at  this  time  biihop  of  Sardis,  writing 
to  one  Onefrnns,  tells  his  corrc  fpondent  %  that  he 
had  procured  an  accurate  account  of  the  books  of 
the  Old  Teftament.  The  occurrence,  in  this  pal- 
hot,  of  the  term  Old  Teftament,  has  been  brought 
toVrove,  and  it  certainly  does  prove,  that  there  was 
thJn  a  volume  or  colleaion  of  writmgs  cahed  tac 
New  Teftament.  ' 

V  In  the  time  of  Clement  of  Alexandria,  aoout 
fifteen  years  after  the  laft  quoted  teftimony.  ^^  'S^P; 
parent  that  the  Chriiiian  fcriprures  w'ere  uiviueJ 
into  two  parts,  under  the  general  titles  of  the  goipcU 
and  apoftlcs ;  and  that  both  thefe  were  regarded  as 
of  the  higheft  authority.  One,  out  of  many  exnre.- 
ftons  of  Clement  alluding  to  this  diftribution,  is  the 
following  :— '  There  is  a  confent  and  harmony  be- 
'  tween  the  law  and  the  prophets,  the  apoftlcs  an. 

'■  the  gofpel  f  .*  r    1  1 

VI  The  fame  divifion,  'prophets,  gofpe.s,  and 
'apoilles,'  appears  in  TenuilianJ,  the  contempo- 
rary of  Clement.  The  colleaion  of  the  gofpch  u; 
hkewife  called  by  this  writer  the  '  Evangehc  inltru- 
'  mentS  ;'  the  whole  vo'ume,  the  '  New  louamcnt  ; 
and  the  two  parts,  the  '  Gofpcls  and  Apoftles  H-' 

Vn  From  many  writers  -.ilfo  of  the  third  contury, 
and  efpecially  from  Cyprian,  who  lived  in  the  mid- 
dle of  it,  it  is  colleaed,  that  the  Chriftian  fcnptuics 
^vere  divided  into  two  codes  or  volume".,  one  railed 
the  '  gofpcls  or  fcriptures  of  the  Lord,'  the  oincr, 
the  '  /Vpcftles,  or  epiftlcs  of  the  Apoftles^.' 

*   Lard.  Cred.p-   V,  i  •         t  ^'^-  ^'^^-  ^^-  V-  S^^>- 
+  lb.  vol.  II.  p.  631.  §   lb.  vol.  II.  p.  574- 

I  lb.  vol.  II.  p.  632.  ^  lb.  vol.  IV.  p.  8-16. 


I40  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

VIII.  Eufebius,  as  we  have  already  feen,  takes 
fome  pains  to  fliow,  that  the  gofpel  of  St.  John  had 
been  juftly  placed  by  the  ancients  '  the  fourth  in 
'  order,  and  after  the  other  three*/  Thefe  are 
the  terms  of  his  propofition ;  and  the  very  intro- 
duftion  of  fuch  an  argument  proves  inconteftibly, 
that  the  four  gofpels  had  been  collected  into  a  vo- 
lume to  the  exclufion  of  every  other  ;  that  their 
order  in  the  volume  had  been  adjufted  v^-ith  much 
confideration  ;  and  that  this  had  been  done  by  thofe 
who  were  called  ancients  in  the  time  of  Eufebius. 

In -the  Dioclefian  perfecution  in  the  year  303,  the 
fcriptures  were  fought  out  and  burnt|;  many  fuf- 
fered  death  rather  than  deliver  ihem  up;  and  thofe 
who  betrayed  them  to  the  perfecutors  vrere  accounted 
as  lapfed  and  apoliatc.  On  the  other  hand,  Con- 
ftantine,  after  his  converfion,  gave  directions  for 
multiplying  copies  of  the  divine  oracles,  and  for 
magnificently  adorning  them  at  the  expence  of  the 
imperial  treafury|.  What  the  Chriilians  of  that  agt^ 
fo  richly  embeliiflied  in  their  profperity,  and,  which 
is  more,  fo  tenacioufly  prcfe'rved  under  perfecution, 
was  the  very  volume  of  the  New  Teflament  which 
we  now  read. 


*  LarJ.  Creci.  vol.  VIII.  p.  90.     f  lb.  vol.  VII.  p.  2 14.  et  fe,q. 
lb.  n.  i!L^2. 


SECT, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  141 


SECT.      IV. 

Our  prefent  facred  zuriiifigs  were  foon  dij}ingu'ij}3ed by 
appropriate  names  and  titles  of  rcfped. 

I.  PoLYCARP:— M    trufl    that    yc 

*  iire   well   excrcifcd  in  the    holy  fcriptures — as  in 

*  ihefe  fcriptures  it  is  faid,  be  ye  angry  and  fin  not, 
'  and  let  not  the  fun  go  down  upon  your  wrath*,' 
This  paflage  is  extremely  important;  becanfe  it 
proves  that,  in  the  time  of  Polycarp,  v;ho  had  lived 
with  the  apoftlcs,  there  were  Chriftian  wrirings  dif- 
tinguiflied  by  the  name  of  "  holy  fcriptures,"  or 
facred  writings.  Moreover,  the  text  quoted  by  Po- 
lycaip  is  a  text  found  in  the  colle-fVion  at  this  day. 
What  alfo  the  fame  Polycarp  hath  eifewhere  quoted 
in  the  fame  manner,  may  be  confidered  as  proved  to 
belong  to  the  collection;  and  this  comprehends  St. 
Matthew's,  and,  probably,  St.  Luke's  gofpel,  the 
A^s  of  the  Apoftlcs,  ten  epiRles  of  Paul,  the  firft 
epiftle  of  Peter,  and  the  firii  of  Johnf.  In  another 
place  Polycarp  has  thefe  words:  "  Whoever  per- 
'  verts  the  oracles  of  the  Lord  to  his  ov.n  lulls,   and 

*  and  fays  there  is  neither  refurreclion  nor  judgment, 

*  he  is  the  iirft-born  of  fatan  J."  It  does  not  appear 
what  elfe  Polycarp  could  mean  by  the  "  oracles  of 
'  the  Lord,'  Inii  thofe  f\me  '  holy  fcriptures,'  or 
facred  writings,  of  which  he  had  fpoken  before. 

II.  Juflin  Martyr,  whofc  apology  was  written 
about  thirty  years  after  Polycarp's  cpidle,  exprefsly 
cites  fome  of  our  prefent  hiilories  under  the  title  01 
oosPEL,  and  that,  not  as  a  name  by  him  full  afcribci* 

*  LarJ.  CrcJ.  vcl.  I.  p.  203.      !  lb.  p.  iz-i,.     %  Ij.  p.  zzz. 


142  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

to  them,  but  as  the  name  by  which  they  were  gene- 
rally known  in  his  time.  Mis  words  are  thefe :  — 
*  For  the  apoftles,  in  the  memoirs  compofed  by 
'  them,  which  are  called  go/pels,  have  thus  delivered 
'  it,  that  Jefus  commanded  them  to  take  bread,  and 
'  give  thanks*,*  There  cxiils  no  doubt,  but  that 
by  the  memoirs  above-mentioned,  Juilin  meant  our 
prefent  hiftorical  fcriptures,  for,  throughout  his 
works,  he  quotes  thefe,  and  no  others. 

III.  Dionyfius,  Bifhop  of  Corinth,  who  came 
thirty  years  after  Juftin,  in  a  palTage  preferved  in 
iutfebius,  (for  his  works  are  loft)  fpeaks  of  *  the 
fcriptures  of  the  Lordf.' 

IV.  And  at  the  fame  time,  or  very  nearly  fo,  by 
IrenjFus,  Bifliop  of  Lyons  in  FranceJ,  they  are  called 
*  divine  fcriptures,' — '  divine  oracles,' — '•  fcriptures 
of  the  Lord,' — '  evangelic  and  apoftolic  writings§.* 
The  quotations  of  Irenaeus  prove  decidedly  that  our 
prefent  gofpels,  and  thefe  alone,  together  with  the 
afts  of  the  apodles,  were  the  hiHorical  books  com- 
prehended by  him  under  thefe  appellations. 

V.  St.  Matthew's  gofpel  is  quoted  by  Theophilus, 
Bifhop  of  Antioch,  contemporary  with  Irenaeus, 
under  the  title  of  the  '  evangelic  voice  ||;'  and  the 
copious  works  of  Clement  of  Alexandria,  publiflied 
■within  fifteen  years  of  the  fame  time,  afcribe  to  the 
books  of  the  New  Teftament  the  various  titles  of 
'•  facred  books,' — '  divine  fcriptures,' — '  divinely 
infpired  fcriptures,' — '  fcriptures  of  the  Lord,' — 
'  the  true  evangelical  canon ^.' 

VI.  Tertullian,  who  joins  on  with  Clement,  befide 
adopting  moft   of   the  names  and    epithets   above 

*   Lard.  Cred.  vol.  I.  p.  271.  f   lb.  p.  298. 

:|:  The  reader  will  obierve  the  remotenefs  of  thefe  two  Wlter^ 
jn  tonntry  arid  fituation. 

5  lb  p  343,  etfeq.     II   lb.  p.  427.     «[  lb.  vol.  II.  p.  213. 

^  noticed^ 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  i„;3 

noticed,  calls  the  gofpels  '  our  digefta,*  in  allufion, 
as  it  (liould  feem,  to  Ibmc  coiledlion  ot  Roman  laws* 
then  extant. 

VII.  By  Origen,  who  came  thirty  years  after 
Tertullian,  the  fame,  and  others  no  lefs  llrong  titles, 
are  applied  to  the  Chrillian  fcriptures;  and  in  addi- 
tion thereunto,  this  writer  frequently  fpeaks  of  the 
'  Old  and  New  Tellamenr,' — *  the  ancient  and  new 
fcriptures,' — '  the  ancient  and  new  oracles |.' 

VIII.  In  Cyprian,  who  was  not  twenty  years 
later,  they  are  '  books  of  the  fpirit,' — '  divine  foun- 
tains,'— '  fountains  of  the  divine  fulnefsj;.' 

Tile  expreflions  we  h;ive  thus  quoted  are  evidences 
of  high  and  peculiar  refpeft.  They  ail  occur  within 
two  centuries  from  the  publication  of  the  books. 
Some  of  them  commence  with  the  companions  of 
the  apofhlts  ;  and  they  increafe  in  nu  nber  and 
variety,  th:«nigh  a  fjiies  of  writers,  touching  upon 
one  another,  and  deduced  from  tlic  lirfl;  age  of  the 
religion. 


SECT.      V. 

Our  fcriptures  ivere  publicly  read  and  expounded  in  tht 
religious  affembiies  of  the  eariy  Chriflians. 

Justin  martyr,  who  wrote  in 
the  year  140,  which  was  feventy  or  eighty  years 
after  fome,  and  l<Ts,  probably,  aft:fr  ot!)ers  of  the 
gofpels  were  publiflied,  giving,  in  his  firfl  apology, 

*   Lard.Crcd   vol.  11.  p.  630.  i    lb.  vol.  III.  p.  2S0. 

X   lb.  vol  IV.  p.  b;44. 

an 


144  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

an  account  to  the  Emperor  of  the  Chriftian  worlliip, 
has  this  remarkable  paflage: 

'  The  meinoirs  of  the  apoflles,  or  the  writings  of 

*  the  prophtts,  are  read  according  as  the  time  allows, 
'  and,   when   the   reader   has   ended,   the   prefident 

*  makes  a  difcoiirfe,  exhorting  to  the  imitation  of  fo 

*  excellent  things*.' 

A  few  (hort  obfervations  will  Ihow  the  value  of 
this  teilimony. 

1.  The  '  memoirs  or  the  apollles,'  Juflin  in 
another  place  exprefsly  tells  us  are  what  are  called 

*  gofpels;'  and  that  they  were  the  gofpels,  which 
we  now  ufe  is  made  certain  by  Juftin's  numerous 
quotations  of  them^  and  his  filence  about  any  others. 

2.  Jufrin  defcribes  the  general  ufage  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  church. 

3.  Juflin  does  not  fpeak  of  it  as  recent  or  newly 
inflituted,  but  in  the. terms  in  which  men  fpeak  of 
eftabliflied  cudoms. 

2.  Tertullian,  who  followed  Juflin  at  the  diflance 
of  about  fifiy  years,  in  his  account  of  the  religious 
aiTcmblies  of  the  Chridians  as  they  were  condu<^ed 
in  his  time  fays,  '  A¥e  come  together  to  recolleft 
'  the  divine  fcriptures;  we  nourifh  our  faith,  raife 
'  our  hope,  confirm  our  trufl:,  by  the  facred 
'wordf.'' 

3.  Eufebius  records  of  Origer.,  and  cites  for  his 
authority  the  letters  of  bifhops  contemporary  with 
Origen,  that,  when  he  went  into  Palefline  about  the 
verr  216,  which  was  only  16  years  after  the  date  of 
i  crtullian's  tcfiimony,  he  was  defn-ed  by  the  bifhops 
cr  that  country  to  difcourfe  and  expound  the  fcrip- 
tures pu])Iicly  in  the  church,  though  he  was  not  yet 
ordained  a  prefbytsr];.     This  anecdote  recognizes 

*  LarJ.  Cred  vol.  *;.  p,  273.         f  lb.  vol.  It.  p.  628. 
X   lb  vol  lii.  p,  68. 

2  the 


EVrDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  145 

the  ufage,  nor  only  of  reading,  but  of  expounding, 
the  fcriptures;  and  both  as  fiibfifting  in  full  force, 
Ori^en  alfo  himfcif  bears  witncfs  to  the  fame  practice: 

*  This  (fays  he)  we  do,  when  the  fcriptures  are  read 

*  in  the  church,  and  when  the  difcourfe  for  explica- 

*  tion  is  delivered  to  the  people*.'  And,  what  is  a 
fliil  more  ample  tcftimony,  many  homiiics  of  his 
upon  the  fcriptures  of  the  New  IVifanent,  delivered 
by  him  in  the  affemblies  of  the  church,  are  ftiU 
extant. 

IV.  Cyprian,  whofe  age  was  not  twenty  years 
lower  than  that  of  Origen,  gives  his  people  an 
account  of  having  ordained  two  perfons,  who  were 
before  confciTors,  to  be  readers,  and  what  they 
were  to  read,  appears  by  the  reafon  which  he  gives 
for  his  choice: — '  Nothing  (fays  Cyprian)  can  be 

*  more  fit,  than  that  I'.c,  who  has  made  a  glorious 
'  confeflion  of  the  Lord,  (hould  read  publicly  in  the 

*  church;  that  he  who  has  Ihown  himfelf  wiihng  to 
'  die  a  martyr,  fnould  read  the  gofpel  of  Chrift,  by 

*  which  martyrs  are  made  j^.* 

V.  Intimations  of  the  fame  cudom  may  be  traced 
in  a  great  number  of  writers  in  the  beginning  and 
throughout  th.e  whole  of  the  fourth  century.  Of 
thefe  teflimonies  I  will  or.ly  ufe  one  as  being,  of 
itfelf,  exprefs  and  full.  Augulline,  who  appeared 
near  the  conclufion  of  the  century,  difplays  the 
benefit  of  the  Chrilfian  religion  on  this  very  account, 
the  public  reading  of  the  fcriptures  in  the  churches, 

*  where  (fays  he)   is   a   confluence   of  all   forrs  of 

*  people  of  both  fexes,  and  where  they  hear  how 
'  they  ought  to  live  well  in  this  world,  that  they  may 
'  deferve  to  live  happily  and  eternally  in  another.' 
And  this  cuflom  he  declares  to  be  univerfal:  '  The 
'  canonical   books    of   fcripture   being   read   every 

*  Lr.rd.  CreJ.  vol.  III.  p.  302.        f  lb.  voL  IV.  p.  842. 

L  '  where. 


14^  AVIEW  OF  THE 

*  uhsre,   the   mimcles    therein    recorded   are   well 
'  known  to  all  people*.' 

It  does  not  appear,  that  any  books  other  than  our 
prefent  fcriprures,  were  thus  publicly  read,  except 
that  the  epiflle  of  Clement  v/as  read  in  the  church 
of  Corinth,  to  which  it  was  addn-ffed,  and  in  fome 
others;  and  that  the  Shepherd  of  Hermas  was  read 
in  many  churches.  Nor  does  it  fubtract  much  from 
the  value  of  the  argument,  that  thefe  two  writings 
^partly  come  within  it,  becaufe  we  allow  them  to  be 
the  genuine  writings  of  apoftolical  men.  There  is 
not  the  lead  evidence,  that  any  other  gofpel,  than 
the  four  which  we  receive,  was  ever  admitted  to 
this  d id i nation. 


SECT.     VI. 

Commentaries  were  anciently  written  upon  the  [crip- 
lures;  harmonies  formed  out  of  them;  different 
copies  carefully  collated;  and  verfions  made  of  them 
into  different  languagss. 

iN  O  greater  proof  can  be  given  of  the 
efteem  in  which  thefe  books  were  holden  by  the 
ancient  Chriflians,  or  of  the  fenfe  then  entertained 
of  their  value  and  importance,  than  the  induflry 
bef!:ovv'ed  upon  them.  And  it  ought  to  be  obferved, 
that  the  value  and  importance  of  thefe  books  con- 
fided entirely  in  their  genuinenefs  and  truth.  There 
was  nothing  in  them  as  v/orks  of  taftc,  or  as  compo- 
liiionSj  which  could  have  induced  any  one  to  have 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol,  X,  p.  276,  etfeq. 

written 


EVIDENCES  OF  CMRISTIANITY.  147 

written  a  note  upon  tlu-m.  Moreover  it  ihows  that 
thev  were  even  then  confidered  ais  ancient  books^ 
Men  do  not  wriie  comments  npon  publi.'atjons  or 
their  own  times:  theietore  the  teiiimomes  cited 
under  this  head,  ufiwd  an  evidence  which  carries  up 
ih  evuni^elic  writings  much  myond  the  age  ot  the 
leilinum  es  tiiemielves,  and  to  that  of  their  reputed 

authors.  ^.     ,^  11 

I.  Tatian,  a  Follov  er  of  Juftm  Martyr,  and  who 
lluur  fli  d  about  the  year  170,  cv^mpofed  a  harmony, 
or  c  11. lion  of  the  ^ofpels,  which  he  called  Diatef^i^^ 

■  roii  of  the  f-ur*.  The  title  as  well  as  the  work,  is 
rtmiirk  ible;  becaufe  ir  Ihcws  that  then,  as  now  there 
were  four,  and  only  four  gofpels,  in  j.^eneral  u.e  with 
Chrii>ians.  And  this  was  little  more  than  a  hund- 
red yeirs  after  the  publication  of  ionje  oi  ihem. 

II.  Pantcenus,  of  the  Alexandrian  fihool,  a  man 
of  orcat  reputation  and  learning,  who  came  twenty 
ye.rrs  after  Taiian,  wrote  many  ccmmeiitaries  upon 
the  holy  fcriptures,  which,  as  Jerome  teilihcs,  were 
extant  in  his  timej. 

HI  Clcmnit  of  Alexandria  wrore  Inort  explica- 
tions'of  iirany  books  of  the  OLl  and  New  Tefta- 

IV.  Tertulli  m  appeals  from  the  authority  ot  a 
later  verfion  tiien  in  ufe  to  the  '  -authentic  Greek  §.' 

V.  An  anonymous  author,  quoted  by  Eulebius, 
and 'who  appears  to  have  written  about  the  year 
21-  appeals  xo  \\\t  ar.cknt  ccpies  of  the  tcriptures, 
in  ^r:  futation  of  fome  corrupt  readings  alleged  by 
the  followers  of  Artemonlj.  _ 

VI  The  fame  Kufehius,  mentioneu  by  name 
feveral  writers  of  the  church  who  lived  at  this  time, 
and  concealing  whom  he  f  ys,  '  there  11.11  reinam 
*  divers  monuments  of  the  laudable  induftry  ot  thole 

*  Lard.  Crcd.  vol  I.  p.  307      ^    t  ^\  ^f'  ^- P.t.'^'   ^5 
t  lb.vcl.ll.p.462.    Ml^P-638.    !'•  ^^•'■''^  V^^nci^nt 


148  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

*  ancient  and  ecclefiaflical  men,*  (/.  e.  of  Chriftian 
writers,  who  were  confidered  as  ancient  in  tlie  year 
■500)  adds,  '  there  are  befides  treatifes  of  many 
'  others,  wbofe  names   we  have  not  been  able  to 

*  learn,  orthodox  and  ecclefialtical  men,  as  the  inter- 
'  pretations  of  the  divine  fcriptures,  given  by  each 
'  of  them,  fliow  *.' 

VII.  The  five  lad  teftiraonies  may  be  referred  to 
the  year  200,  immediately  after  which,  a  period  of 
thirty  years  gives  Uf;, 

Julius  Africanus,  who'  wrote  an  epidle  upon  the 
apparent  difference  in  the  genealogies  in  Matthew 
and  Luke,  which  he  endeavours  to  reconcile  by  the 
difiin^lion  of  natural  and  legal  defcent,  and  condufts 
his  hypothefis  with  great  indiidry  through  the  whole 
ferics  of  generations|. 

Ammonius,  a  learned  Alexandrian,  who  compofed, 
as  Tatian  had  done,  a  harmony  of  the  four  gofpeh ; 
Vvfhich  proves,  as  Tatian's  work  did,  that  there  were 
four  gofpels,  and  no  more,  at  this  time  in  ufe  in  the 
church.  It  affords  alfo  an  inflance  of  the  zeal  of 
Chriilians  for  thofe  writings,  and  of  their  fohcitude 
about  them  J. 

And,  above  both  thefe,  Origen,  who  wrote  com- 
mentaries, or  homilies,  upon  mofl  of  the  books 
included  in  the  New  Teflament,  and  upon  no  other 
books  but  thrfc.  In  particular,  he  wrote  upon  St. 
John's  gofpel,  very  largely  upon  St.  Matthew's,  and 
commentaries,  or  homilies,  upon  the  a£ls  of  the 
apoftles§. 

VIII.  In  addition  to  thefe,  the  third  century  like- 
wife  contains, 

Dionyfius  of  Alexandria,  a  very  learned  man, 
who  compared,  with  great  accuracy,  the  accounts  in 

*  Lard  Cred.  vol.  II.  p.  551.         f  lb.  vol.  III.  p.  170. 
J:  lb.  p.  122.  ^   lb.  p.  352,   192,  202,  245. 

the 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  149 

the  four  gofpels  of  the  time  of  Chrift's  rcfiirrefticn, 
adding  a1-efle6lion  which  iliowed  his  opinion  of  their 
authority: — '  Let  u??  not  think  that  the  evangel  ills 
'  difii^zrce,  or  ccntnuiia  each'  other,  ahhough  there 
«  be  fome  fmall  difference;  but  let  us  honeftiy  and 
«  faithfully  endeavour  to  reconcile  what  we  read*.' 

Vidorin,  Biftiop  of  Pertaw  in  Germany,  who 
wrote  comments  upon  St.  Matthew's  gofpel  f . 

Lucian,  a  Prefl3ytcr  of  Antioch,  and  Ilefychius, 
an  Ef^yptian  Bilhop,  who  put  forth  editions  of  the 
New  Teflament. 

IX.  The  fourth  century  fupplies  a  c  ualogue  J  of 
fifteen  writers,  who  expended  their  labours  upon 
the  books  of  the  New  Teflament,  and  whofe  works 
or  uames  are  come  down  to  our  time;  amongO. 
which  number,  it  may  be  fufficient,  for  the  purpofe 
of  ihowing  the  fentiments  and  the  ftudies  of  learned 
Chriftians  of  that  age,  to  notice  the  following : 

Eufebius,  in  the  very  beginning  of  the  century, 
wrote  exprefsly  upon  the  difcrepancies  obfervable  in 
the  gofpels,  and  likewife  a  treatife,  in  wliich  he 
pointed  out  what  things  are  related  by  four,  what  by 
three,  what  by  fvo,  and  what  by  ore  evangeli(l§. 
This  author  alfo  leftifies,  what  i^  certainly  a  material 
piece  of  evidence,  that  the  writings  of  the  apoflles 
had  obtained  fuch  an  efteem,  as  to  be  tranflated  into 
every  language  both  of  Greeks  and  Barbarians,  and 

*  Lard  Cred.  vol.  IV.  p.  661.         f  lb.  p.  195. 

:}:  Eufebius,  A.  D.       -  315  Gregory,  NyHl-n,        -_  371 

Juvencus,  Spain,      -  330  Didymus  of  Alexandria  370 

Theodore,  Thrace,    -  334  Ambrofe  of  Milan,     -  374 

Hilary,  Poidicrs,      -  354  Dlodore  of  Tarfus,      -  378 

Fortunatus,     -     -     -  3.[0  Gaudentius  of  Brefcia  387 

ApoUinarius   of  Lao-  Theodore  of  Cilicia,  394 

dicea,       -        -  362  Jerome,  -  -  392 

Daniaius,  Rome,     -  366  Chryfoftom,        .        -  398 

§  lb.  vol.VIIL  p.  46. 

L  3  to 


150  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

to  be  diligently  iliidicd  by  all  nations*.  '  This  tef- 
'  timony  v/;is  given  about  the  yeiir  300  ;  liow  long 
'  before  tha*-  date  thefc  tranfldtions  were  made,  does 
'  not  appear. 

Daraafcus,  Bifliop  of  Rome,  correfpondcd  with 
St.  Jerome  upon  the  expofition  of  difficult  texts  of 
icripture;  Jind,  in  a  letter  ftill  remaining,  defires 
Jerome  to  p^ive  him  a  clear  explanation  of  the  word 
H''fanna,  f  und  in  the  New  Teftament ;  *  he  (Da- 
'  malcus)  having  met  with  very  diif  rem  interpreta- 
'  tions  (^f  it,  in  the  Greek  and  Latin  commentaries 
'  of  catholic  "\Ariters  \\hich  he  had  readj-.'  This 
lad  claufe  (liows  the  number  and  variety  of  comimen- 
tarics  then  extant. 

Gregory  of  NylTen,  at  one  time,  appeals  to  the 
moft  exa£f  copies  of  St.  Mark's  gofpel  ;  at  another 
time  compares  together,  *.nd  propolcs  to  reconcile, 
the  feveral  accounts  of  the  reiurreftion  given  by  the 
jour  evangeUfis ;  which  limitation  proves,  that  there 
were  no  otiier  hiftories  of  Chrift  deemed  authentic 
bcfide  thefe,  or  included  in  the  fame  charafter  v  ith 
thefe.  This  writer  obferves,  acutely  enough,  that 
the  difpofition  of  the  clothes  in  the  fcpulchre,  the 
napkin  that  was  about  our  Saviour's  head  not  lying 
with  the  linen  clothes,  but  wr.ipped  together  in  a 
place  by  itfelf,  did  not  bcfpeak  the  terror  and  hurry 
of  thieves,  and  therefore  refutes  the  (lory  of  the 
bodv  beiuGi;  ffolent. 

Ambrofc,  Billiop  of  Milan,  remarked  various 
readings  in  the  Latin  copies  of  the  Nevv'  Teffament, 
and  appeals  to  the  original  Greek  ; 

j^nd  Jerome,  towards  the  conclufion  of  this  cen- 
tury, put  fo'-th  an  edition  of  the  New  Teflament  in 
Latin,  corrc^led,  at  lead  as  to  the  gofpels,  by 
Greek  copies,  '  and  thofe  (he  fays)  ancient.' 

*Lard.Cred.  p.201.     f  lb.  Vol.  IX.  p.  108.     lib.  p.  163. 

Laftly, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  151 

Laflly,  Chryfoflom,  it  is  well  known,  delivered 
and  pub'illied  a  great  many  homilies,  or  fcrmons, 
upon  tlie  gofpels  and  the  acfts  of  the  apoftles.. 

It  is  needlcfs  to  bring  down  this  article  lower  ;  but 
it  is  of  importance  to  add,  that  there  is  no  example 
of  Chriftian  writers  of  the  three  fird  centuries  com- 
pofuig  comments  upon  any  other  books  than  thofe 
which  are  found  in  the  New  Teftament,  except  the 
fmgle  one,  of  Clement  of  Alexandria  commenting 
upon  a  book  called  the  revelation  of  Peter. 

Of  the  ancient  'vcrJJons  of  the  New  Teflamenr, 
one  of  the  mod  valuable  is  the  Syriac.  Syriac  was 
the  lanfTuage  of  Palcfline  when  Chriflianivy  was  there 
firft  eftabliflied.  And  although  the  books  of  fcrip- 
ture  were  ^^ritten  in  Greek,  for  the  purpofe  of  a 
more  extended  circulation  than  within  the  precin£is 
of  Juciea,  yet  it  is  probable  that  they  would  fuon  be 
iranllated  into  the  vulgar  language  of  tl.c  country 
where  the  religion  firfl  prevailed.  Accordingly,  a 
Syriac  tranflation  is  now  extant,  all  along,  fo  far  as 
'•■ppears,  ufed  by  the  inhabitants  of  Syria,  bearing 
many  internal  marks  of  high  antiquity,  fupported  in 
Irs  pretenfions  by  the  uniform  tradition  of  the  Kaff, 
and  confirmed  l.-y  the  difcovery  of  many  very  ancient 
manufcripts  in  the  libraries  of  Europe.  It  is  aboiit 
200  years  fmce  a  Bifliop  of  Antioch  fent  a  copy  of 
this  tranHarion  into  Europe  to  be  printed  ;  an  J  xhh 
feems  to  be  the  firft  time  that  the  tranflation  became 
generally  known  to  ihefe  parts  of  the  world.  The 
Bifliop  of  Antioch's  tcflament  was  found  to  cbntain 
all  our  l)ooks,  except  the  fecond  epilllc  of  Peter, 
the  fecond  and  third  of  John,  and  the  revelation  ; 
wl/kh  books,  however,  have  fmce  been  difcovered 
in  that  language  in  fome  ancient  manufcripts  of 
Europe.  But  in  this  col!e.riion,  no  other  1)0)I:, 
bcfide  wivat  is  in  ours,  appears  ever  to  have' bad  a 
place.     Axud,  v>hich  is  v..ry  wonliy  of  obfcryaiion, 

L  4  liie 


152  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  text,  though  prrf  rved  in  a  remote  country 
anc]  without  communicatioT  with  ou"S,  differs  from 
curs  veryhttle,  and  in  nothing  that  is  important* 


SECT.     VII. 


Our  fcripitires  were  received  by  ancient  Chrijliam  of 
different  feels  and  perfuafions^  by  many  heretics  as 
well  as  catholics,  and  were  ifually  appealed  to  by 
both  ftdes  in  the  conirovcrfies  which  arofe  in  thofe 
days. 


1  HE  three  mofl  ancient  topics  of  con- 
troverfy  amongil:  Chriftians,  were  the  autliority  of 
the  Jewifli  inftitution,  the  origin  of  evil,  and  the 
nature  of  Chrift.  Upon  the  firfi:  of  thefe,  we  find, 
in  very  early  times,  one  clafs  of  heretics  rejefting 
the  Old  Teftament  entirely,  another  contending  for 
the  obligation  of  its  law,  in  all  its  parts,  through- 
out its  whole  extent,  and  over  every  one  who  fought 
acceptance  with  God.  Upon. the  two  latter  fuhjecls 
a  natural,  perhaps,  and  venial,  but  a  fruitlefs,  eager, 
and  impatient  curiofity,  promipted  by  the  philofophy, 
and  by  the  fcholaftic  habits  of  the  age,  which  car- 
ried men  much  into  bold  hypothefes  and  conje61ural 
fohitions,  raifed  amongft  forae  who  profclTed  Chrif- 
tianity  very  win!  and  unfounded  opinions.  I  think 
there  is  no  reafon  to  believe,  that  the  num]>er  of 
thefe  bore  any  confiderable  proportion  to  the  body 
of  the  Chriflian  church  ;  and  amidfl  the  difputes, 
which  fuch  opinions  neceffarily  occafioned,  it  is  a 

*  Jones  on  the  Canon,  yoI,  I.  c.  xiv. 

great 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  153 

great  fatlsfci£ljon  to  perceive,  what  in  a  vaft  plurality 
of  inftances  we  do  perceive,  all  lides  recurring  to 
the  fame  fcripuircs. 

I*.  BafiliJes  lived  near  the  age  of  the  apoflles, 
about  the  year  120,  or  perhaps  foonerf.  He  re- 
jeftfd  the  jev.'ifh  inftitiuion,  not  as  fpurious,  but  as 
proceeding  fro:n  a  being  inferior  to  the  true  God  ; 
and  in  other  rcfpefts  advanced  a  fcheme  of  theology 
"widely  different  Irom  the  general  doctrine  of  the 
Chriftian  church,  and  which,  as  it  gained  over  fome 
dif.iples,  was  warmly  oppofed  by  Chrillian  writers 
of  the  fccond  and  third  century.  In  thefe  writini^s 
there  is  pofitive  evidence,  that  Bafilides  received  the 
gofpel  of  Matthew  ;  and  there  is  no  fufficient  proof 
that  he  rejected  any  of  the  other  three ;  on  the 
contrary,  it  appears  t!iat  he  wrote  a  commentary 
upon  the  gofpel,  fo  copious,  as  to  be  divided  into 
twenty-four  books |. 

II.  The  Valentinians  appeared  about  the  fame 
time§.  Their  herefy  confifted  in  certain  notions 
concerning  angelic  natures,  which  can  hardly  be 
rendered  intelligible  to  a  modern  reader.  They 
feem,  however,  to  have  acquired  as  much  impor- 
tance as  any  of  the  feparifts  of  that  caily  age.  Of 
this  fefl,  Irenccus,  who  wrote  A.  D.  172,  exprefsly 
records,  that  they  endeavoured  to  fetch  arguments 
for  their  opinions,  from  the  evangelic  and  apoltolic 
v/riiing  ||.  lleraclcon,  one  of  the  mod  celebrated 
of  the  feft,  and  who  lived  probably  fo  early  as  the 
year  125,  wrote  commentaries  upon  Luke  and  John  •T. 

*  The  m;iterials  of  the  former  pait  of  this  feflion  are  taken 
from  Dr.  La:  dnei  \  hiftory  of  the  herei  ics  of  the  two  firll  centu- 
ries, publiOud  fince  his  death,  wiih  additions  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Hogg  of  Exeter,  and  inferted  in  the  ninth  volume  of  his  works, 
of  tlv   edition  of  1788. 

t  V  1   IX.  p.  27  1.  :!:  lb.  p.  305,  306. 

§   Vol.   IX.  cd.  1788,  p.  350,  351.  II  Vol.  I.  p.  383. 

f^Vol.  IX.  ed.  1788,  p.  352. 

Some 


154  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

Some  obfervatlons  alfo  of  his  upon  Matthew  arc 
preferved  by  Origen*.  Nor  is  there  any  reafon  to 
doubt,  that  he  received  the  v/hole  New  Teflament. 

III.  The  Carpocratians  were  alfo  early  heretics, 
little,  if  at  all,  later  than  the  two  preceding  |. 
Some  of  their  opinions  refembled,  what  we  at  this 
day  mean  by  Socinianifm.  With  refpeft  to  the 
fcriptures,  they  are  fpecifically  charged  by  Irenceus 
and  by  Epiphanius,  with  endeavouring  to  pervert  a 
pafTage  in  Matthew,  which  amounts  to  a  pofitive 
proof,  that  they  received  that  gofpel  j.  Negatively, 
they  are  not  accufed  by  their  adverfaries,  of  rejecting 
any  part  of  the  New  Tcftamenr. 

IV.  The  Sethians,  A.  U.  i5o§;  the  Montanifts, 
A.  D.  1561!;  theMarcofians,  A.D.  i6o5[;  liermo- 
genes,  A.  D.  180**;  Praxias,  A.  D.  i96ff;  Arte- 
mon,  A.  D.  200  JJ  ;  Theodocus,  A.  D.  2co  ;  all 
included  under  the  denomination  of  heretics,  and  ail 
enG[ac[ed  in  controverfies  with  catholic  Chrifiians, 
received  the  fcriptures  of  the  New  Teflament. 

y.  Tatian,  who  lived  in  the  year  172,  went  into 
many  extravagant  opinions,  was  the  founder  of  a 
fe£l  called  Encratites,  and  was  deeply  involved  in 
difputes  with  the  Chriftians  of  that  age  ;  yet  Tatian 
fo  received  the  four  gofpels,  as  to  conipofe  a  har- 
mony from  them. 

VI.  From  a  writer,  quoted  by  Eufcblur,  of  about 
the  year  200,  it  is  apparent  that  they,  v^ho,  at  that 
lime,  contended  for  the  mere  humaniry  of  Chrift, 
argued  from  the  fcriptures  ;  for  they  are  accufed 
by  this  writer  of  making  alterations  in  their  copies, 
in  order  to  favour'their  opinions §§. 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  IX.  ed.   1781.  p.  353.  f   lb.  p.  309. 

X   lb.  p.  318.  §   lb.  p.  455.  II    lb.  p.  482. 

^  lb.  p.  348.  **   lb.  p.  473.  +t  lb.  p.  433. 

it  lb.  p.  J 66.  (§   lb.  vol.  III.  p.  46. 

VII. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  155 

VII.  Orif^.n's  fjnti.nc-nts  excireci  great  controvcr- 
fies ;  tlic  liilhops  of  Rome  iiiv-l  A'exaadria,  and 
many  others,  condemniii;!^,  the  Bi'Tiops  of  the  K.ift 
efp)uring  them;  yet  tiiere  is  not  the  fmallefl:  qiief- 
tion,  but  tliat  both  the  aivocatcs  and  advcrfaries  of 
thcfe  opinions  acknowledged  the  Time  authority  of 
fcripture.  In  liis  time,  which  the  readi-^r  will  re- 
member was  about  one  hnndrrd  and  fifty  years  after 
the  frriDtures  were  pul^liflird,  many  dilfenfions  fub- 
fiftcd  amongfl  Clhriftians,  with  which  they  were  re- 
pr  )ached  by  Cflfis,  yet  Ori^jen,  who  has  recorded 
this  accnf.ition  without  contradicting  it,  ncverthelcfs 
tc^lifles, '  that  the  four  gofpels  were  received  without 

*  difpute  by  the  whole  church  of  Go.l  under  hca- 

*  vcn*.' 

VIII.  ' -a  il  f>f  Samofata,  about  thirty  years  after 
Ori  icn,  fo  diflinguiflied  himftlf  in  the  C(Sntroverf\- 
concernin^  the  nature  of  Chrift,  as  to  be  the  fubjffi: 
of  two  councils,  or  fynods,  alTembled  at  Antioch, 
upon  his  opinions.  Yet  he  is  not  charged  by  his 
adverfiri'-s  with  rejecting  any  book  of  the  New  Tcf- 
tament.  On  the  contrary,  Epiphanius,  who  wrote 
a  hiilory  of  heretics  a  hundred  years  afterwards, 
fays,  that  Paul  env'eavoured  to  fupport  his  doctrine 
by  texts  of  the  f  riprure.  And  Vinccnttus  Lirinen- 
fis,  A.  D.  434,  fpeaking^  of  Paul  and  other  lieretics 
of  the  f  :me  age,  has  theft  wor  -s  :  '  Here,  perhaps, 

*  fome  one  may  afl-:,  wheti  er  heretics  alfo  urge  the 

*  tefliniony  of  Aripture.     They  urge  it  indeed,  ex- 

*  plicitly  and  vehemently ;   for  you   may  fee   thcn^ 

*  flying  throu^ii  every  book  of  the  facred  lawf .' 

IX.  A  conrroverfy  ar  the  fame  time  cxifted  with 
tlic  Noeiians  or  Sal)ellians,  who  feem  to  have  gone 
into  the  oppofre  estre:r,e  from  tlrat  of  Paul  of  Sa- 
mofata,  and  his  followers.      Yet,  according  to  the 

*   LarJ.  Cred.  vol.  IV.  p.  642.  f  lb.  vol.  XI.  p.  158. 

e  xpr  efs 


J56  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

cxprefs  teftimony  of  Epipbanius,  Sabellius  received 
all  the  fcriptures.  And  with  both  fe£i:s  Catholic 
writers  conftantly  allege  the  fcriptures,  and  reply  to 
the  arguments  which  their  opponents  drew  from 
particular  texts.  This  is  a  proof,  that  parties,  who 
were  the  mod  oppofite  and  irreconcileable  to  one 
another,  acknowledged  the  authority  of  fcripture, 
and  with  equal  deference. 

X,  And  as  a  general  teftimony  to  the  fame  point, 
may  be  produced  what  was  (aid  by  one  of  the 
bifhops  of  the  council  of  Carthage,  which  was  holden 
a  little  before  this  time.  '  I  am  of  opinion  that 
'  blafphemous  and  wicked  heretics,  who  per--'jert  the 

*  facred  and  adorable  words  of  the  fcriptures,  ihould 
'  be  execrated*.'  Undoubtedly  what  they  pen^erted 
they  received. 

XI.  The  Millenium.,  Novatianifm,  the  baptifm  of 
heretics,  the  keeping  of  Eafter,  engaged  alfo  the 
attention,  and  divided  the  opinions  of  Chriftians,  at 
and  before  that  time  (and,  by  the  way,  it  may  be 
obferved,  that  fuch  difputes,  though  on  fome  ac- 
counts to  be  blamed,  fliowedhow  much  men  vv'ere 
in  earneft  upon  the  fubje^t)  yet  every  one  appealed 
for  the  prounds  of  his  opinion  to  fcrioture  autho- 
rity.  Dionyfms  of  Alexandria,  who  flouriilied  A.  D. 
247,  defcribing  a  conference,  or  public  difputation, 
with  tlie  Millenarians  of  Egypt,  confelTcs  of  them, 
though  their  adverfary,  '  that  they  embraced  what- 

*  ever  could  be  made  out  by  good  arguments  from 
'  the  holy  fcriptures -]-.'  Novauis,  A.  D.  251,  dif- 
tinguifhed  by  fome  rigid  fentiments  concerning  the 
reception  of  thofe  who  had  lapfed,  and  the  founder 
of  a  numerous  feci,  in  his  few  remaining  works 
quotes  the  gofpel  with  the  fame  refj^eft  as  other 
Chriilians   did ;    and    concerning  his  followers    the 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  IX.  p.  839.  f  lb.  vol.  IV.  p.  666. 

'  teftimony 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  157 

teflimony  of  Socrates,  who  wrote  about  the  year 
440,  is  pofitive,  viz.   *  that,  in  the  dilpiitcs  between 

*  the  cathohcs  and  them,  each  fide  endeavoured  to 

*  fupport  itfelf  by  the  authority  of  the  divine  fcrip- 

*  tures  *.' 

XII.  The  Donatifts,  who  fprunc^  up  in  the  year 
328,  ufcd  the  fime  fcriptures  as  we  do.     '  Produce 

*  (faith  Augufline)  fome  proof  from  the   fcriptures, 

*  whofe  authority  is  common  to  us  both  |.* 

XIII.  It  is  pcifeftly  notorious,  that,  in  tlie  Arian 
controverfy.  which  arofe  foon  after  the  year  300, 
both  fides  appealed  to  the  fame  fcriptures,  and  with 
equal  profeiTions  of  deference  and  regard.  The 
Arians,  in  their  council  of  Antioch,  A.  D.  341, 
pronounce,  that,  *  if  any  one,   contrary  to  the  found 

*  do£lrine  of  the  fcriptures,  fay  that  the  fon  is  a 
'  creature,  as  one  of  the  creatures,  let  him  be  ana- 
'  th'ema  J.'  They  and  the  Athanafjans  mutually  ac- 
cufe  each  of  ufmg  unfcnptural  phrafes,  which  was  a 
mutual  acknowledgment  of  the  conclufive  authority 
of  fcripture. 

XIV.  ThePrifcillianifts,  A.D.  3785,  the  Pelagians, 
A.  D.  405  j),  received  the  fame  fcriptures  as  we  do. 

XV.  Ihe  teflimony  of  Chryfoltom,  who  lived 
neat  the  year  400,  is  {o  pofitive  in  affirmation  of 
the  propofition  which  we  maintain,  that  it  may 
form  a  proper  conclufion  of  the  argument.     *  The 

*  general  reception  of  the   gofpels  is  a  proof  that 

*  their  hidory  is  trtic  and  confident ;   for  fince  the 

*  writing  of  the  gofptls,  many  heretics  have  arifen, 
'  holding  opinions  contrary  to  w^hat  is  contained  in 
'  them,  who  yet  receive  the  gofpels  either  entire  or 
'  in  part^.'     I  am  not  moved  by  what  may  fcem  a 

*  Lard,  Cred.  vol.  V.  p.  105.      f  lb.  vol.  VII.  p.  243. 

\   lb.  vol.  VII.  p.  277.  $   lb.  vol.  IX.  p.  325. 

II   lb.  vol.  XI.  p.  52.  <f  I'j.  vol.  X.  p.  316. 

dcduflion 


ijS  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

deduflion  from  Chryfollom's  leftimony,  the  words 
'  entire  or  in  part ;'  for,  if  all  the  parts,  which  were 
ever  queflioned  in  our  gofpels,  were  given  up,  it 
would  not  affeft  the  miraculous  orij^in  of  the  relisrion 
in  the  fmailell:  degree  :  e.  g. 

Cerinthus  is  faid  by  Epiphanius  to  have  received 
the  gofpel  of  Matthew,  but  not  entire.  What  the 
omiHions  were  does  not  appear.  The  common  opi- 
nion, that  he  rejefted  the  two  firfl  chapters,  feems 
to  have  been  a  miftake  *.  It  is  agreed,  however, 
by  all  who  have  given  any  account  of  Cerinthus, 
that  he  taught  that  the  Holy  Gliod  (whether  he 
meant  by  that  name  a  perfon  or  a  power)  dcfcendcd 
upon  Jefus  at  his  baptifra  ;  that  Jefus  from  this  time 
perform.ed  many  miracles,  and  that  he  appeared  after 
his  death.  Hevmuft  have  retained  therefore  the 
elTential  parts  of  the  hiftory. 

Of  all  the  ancient  heretics,  the  moft  extraordinary 
was  Marcion  |.  One  of  his  tenets  v/as  the  rejeftion 
of  the  Old  Teftament,  as  proceeding  from  an  infe- 
rior and  imperfeft  deity  ;  and  in  purfiiancs  of  this 
hypothefis,  he  erafed  from  the  New,  and  that,  as 
it  fhoiild  feera,  without  entering  into  any  critical 
reafons,  every  p-^lTage  which  recognized  the  Jewifli 
fcriptures.  He  fpared  not  a  text  which  contradicted 
his  opinion.  It  is  reafonable  to  believe,  that  Mar- 
cion treated  books  as  he  treated  texts :  yet  this  rafli 
and  wild  controverfiHlill  publiihcd  a  refenfion,  or 
chaftifed  edition,  of  St.  Luke's  gofj^ei,  containing 
the  leading  facts,  and  all  which  is  nerelTary  to  au- 
thenticate the  religion.  This  example  affords  proof, 
that  there  were  always  fom.e  points,  and  thofe  the 
main  points,  which  neither  wildnefs  ncr  raflmefs, 
neither  the  fury  of  oppofition  nor  the  intemperance 


*   Lard.Cred.  vol.  IX.  cd.  1788,  p.  322. 

i  lb.  fcft.  ii.  ex.     Alfo  Mi:luel.  vol.  I.e.  1.  fei>.  xvili. 


of 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  159 

of  controverfy,  would  venture  to  call  in  queftion. 
There  is  no  rcafon  to  believe  that  Marcion,  though 
full  of  refentracnt  againft  the  catholic  Chrillians, 
ever  charged  them  with  forgincj  their  books.     •  The 

*  gofpcl  of  St.  Matthew,  the  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews, 

*  with  thofc  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  James,  as  well  as 
'  the  Old  Tefhament  in  general,  (he  faid)  were  wri- 
'  tings  not  for  ChriRians  but  for  Jews*  .'  This 
declaration  fliows  the  ground  upon  which  Marcion 
preceded  in  his  mutilation  of  the  fcripiures,  viz.  his 
diflike  of  the  pafTiges  or  the  books.  Marcion  flou- 
rifhed  about  the  year  130. 

Dr.  Lardner,  in  his  General  Review,  fums  up  this 
head  of  evidence  in  the  following  words  :  *  Noetus, 
'  Paul  of  Samofata,  Sabellius,  Marcellus,  Photinus, 

*  the  Novatians,  Donatifts,  Manicheans  |,  Prifcillia- 
'  nifls,  befide  Artemon,  the  Aud  ans,  the  Arians,  and 
'  divers  others,   all  received  mod  or  all  the  fame 

*  books  of  the  New  Tedamcnt  which  the  catholics 
'  received  ;  and  agreed  in  a  like  rtfpeft  for  them 
'  as  writ  by  apoflles,  or  their  difciples  and  compa- 
'  nions 


t 
+  • 


*  I  have  traiT^cribed  this  fentencc  from  Michaclis  (pa^e 
38),  who  has  V'A,  however,  referred  to  th--  authority  upon 
which  he  attributes  thefe  words  to  Marcion. 

f  This  mud  be  with  an  exception,  however,  of  FauRus, 
who  lived  fo  late  as  the  year  384. 

"^  lb,  vol.  XII.  p.  12.  Dr.  Lardner's  future  enquiries 
fupplied  him  with  many  other  inftances 


SECT. 


i6o  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


SECT.    VIII. 


The  four  gofpeh,  the  ads  of  the  apoftlcs^    thirteen 

epijiies  of  St.  Paul,  the  firjl  epijile  of  John,  and  the 

Jirfi  of  Peter,  were  received  without  doubt  by  thofe 

who  doubted  concerning  the  other  books,  which  are 

included  in  our  prefent  canon. 


X.  STATE  this  propofition,  becaufe,  if 
made  out,  it  fliows  that  the  authenticity  of  their 
books  was  a  fubjeft  amongft  the  early  Chriftians  of 
confideration  and  enquiry ;  and  that,  where  there 
was  caufe  of  doubt,  they  did  doubt ;  a  circumllance 
which  ftrengthens  very  rpuch  their  teftimony  to  fuch 
books  as  were  received  by  them  with  full  acqui- 
efcence. 

I.  Jerome,  in  his  account  of  Caius,  who  was 
probably  a  prefbjter  of  Rome,  and  who  flouriflied 
near  the  year  2CO,  records  of  him,  that,  reckoning 
up  only  thirteen  epiftles  of  Paul,  he  fays  the  four- 
teenth, which  is  infcribed  to  the  Hebrews,  is  not 
his ;  and  then  Jerome  adds,  *  With  the  Romans  to 

*  this  day  it  is  not  looked  upon  as  Paul's.*  This 
agrees,  in  the  main,  with  the  account  given  by 
Eufebius  of  the  fame  ancient  author  and  his  work  ; 
except  that  Eufebius  delivers  his  ou^n  remark  in  more 
guarded  terms,  '  and  indeed  to  this  very  time,  by 
'  fome  of  the  Romans,  this  epiflle  is  not  thought  to 

*  to  be  the  apoflle's*.' 


*   Lard.  Cred.  vol.  ill,  p,  240. 

II.  Origeu 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  i6i 

II.  Oilgen,  about  twenty  years  after  Caius, 
quoting  the  cpidle  ro  the  Hc^brews,  ob'erves  that 
fome  iniL>ht  difpiue  the  authority  of  that  cpiflle,  and 
therefore  proceeds  to  quote  to  the  fame  point,  as' 
undoubted  books  of  fcripture,  the  Gofpel'  of  St. 
Mathew,  the  A<5ts  of  the  Apoflles,  and  Paul's  firft 
cpiltle  to  the  ThelTalonians*.  And  in  another  place, 
this  author  fpeaks  of  the  epiflle  to  the  Hebrews 
thus : — '  The  account  come  down  to  us  is  various, 
'  fome  faying  that  Clement,  who  was  Bifliop  of 
'  Rome,  wrote    this    epiftle ;    others,    that   it    was 

*  Luke,  the  fame  who  writ  the  gofpel  and  the  Afts.' 
Speaking  alfo  in  the  fame  paragraph  of  Peter,  '  Peter 

*  (fays  he)  has  left  one  epiflle  acknowledged ;  let  it 
'  be  granted  likewlfe  that  he  wrote  a  fecond,  for  it 

*  is  doubted  of.'  And  of  John,  '  lie  has  alfo  left 
'  one  epirtle,  of  a  very  few  lines ;  grant  alfo  a  fecond 
'  and  a  third,  for  all  do  not  allow  thefe  to  be  genu- 

*  inc.*  Now  let  it  be  noted,  that  Origen,  who  thus 
difcriminates,  and  thus  confefTes  his  own  doubts, 
and  the  doubts  which  fubfifled  in  his  time,  exprefsly 
witnefTcs  concerning  the  four   gofpels,    '  that   they 

*  alone  are  received  without  difpute  by  the  whole 
'  church  of  God  under  heaven f. 

III.  Dionyfius  of  Alexandria,  in  the  year  247, 
doubts  concerning  the  Book  of  Revelation,  whether 
it  was  written  by  St  John  ;  ffates  the  grounds  of  his 
doubt ;  reprcfcnts  the  diverfity  of  opinion  concerning 
St,  in  his  own  time,  and  before  his  timej.  Yet  the 
fame  Dionyfuis  uPs  and  collates  the  four  gofpels, 
in  a  manner  which  faows  tint  he  cnter:ained  not 
the  fmallcft  fufpicion  of  their  authority,  and  in  a 
manner  alfo  which  fhows,  that  tliey,  and  they  alonCj 
were  received  as  autl.eniic  hiflories  of  Chrilt§. 

*   Lard.  Cred.  vol.  III.  p.  24.  f   lb.  p.  234.  ' 

X    lb.  TOI.IV     p.  679.  §     lb.  p.  661. 

]\I  IV.  But 


t62  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

IV.  But  this  feclion  may  be  {iild  to  have  been 
fniraed  on  purpofe  to  introduce  to  the  reader  two 
remarkable  pafiages,  extant  in  Eiifcbius's  ecclefiaf- 
tical  hillory.  The  firft  paiTage  opens  with  thefe 
words-^'  Let  us  obferve  the  wriiings  of  the  apcftle 

*  John,'  which  are  uncontradided ;  and,  firft  of  all, 

*  mufi;  be  mentioned,  as  acknowledged  of  all,  the 
'  gofpel  according  to   him,  v/el!  known  to  all  the 

*  churches  under  heaven.'  The  author  then  pro- 
ceeds to  relate  the  occafions  of  writing  the  gofpels, 
and  the  reafons  for  placing  St.  John's  the  lad,  ma- 
nifefcly  fpeaking  throughout  of  all  the  four  as  parallel 
in  their  authority,  and  in  the  certainty  of  their  ori- 
ginal*. The  fecond  paffage  is  taken  from  a  chapter, 
the  tide  of  which  is,  '  Of  the  Scriptures  imi-vcrfally 
'  acknowledged^  and  of  thofe  that  are  not  fuch.' 
Eufebius  begins  his  enumeration  in  the  following 
manner : — '  In  the  firft  place  are  to  be  ranked  the 
'  facred  four  gofpels,  then  the  book  of  the  adls  cf 
'  the  apoftles,  after  that  are  to  be  reckoned  the 
'  epidles  of  Paul.  In  the  nest  place,  that  called  the 
'  {]r(l  epidle  of  John,  and  the  epiftle  of  Peter,  are 
'  to  be  efleemed  authentic.  After  this  is  to  be  placed, 

*  if  it  be  thought  fit,  the  revelation  of  John,  about 
'  which  we  (hall  obferve  ihe  dilFerent  opinions  at 
'  proper  feafons.  Of  the  controverted,  but  yet  well 
'  known,  or  approved  by  the  moft,  are  that  called 

*  the  epiftle  of  Jame?,  and  that  of  Jude,  and  the 
'  fecond  of  Peter,  and  the  fecond  and  third  of  John, 
'  whether  they  are  written  by  the  evangelifl,  or 
'  another  of  the  fame  namef.'  He  then  proceeds  to 
reckon  up  five  others,  not  in  our  canon,  which  he 
calls  in  one  ^Vaqq  fpurious,  in  another  controverted. 


*  I.ard.  Cred.  vol.  VITI.  p.  90. 
t  L.ird.  Cred.  vol.  VIII.  p.  98. 

meaning 


EVIDENCES  OF  CIIUlSTIANirY.  163 

meaning  as  appears  to  me,  nearly  the  Lme  iliinj  by 
thcfe  two  words*. 

It  is  manifeit  from  tliis  palTage,  that  the  four  gof- 
pcls,  an^l  the  at^s  of  the  apoftlcs,  (the  parts  of  fciip- 
ture  with  which  our  concern  principally  lies)  were 
acknowledj^ed  without  difpute  even  by  thole  who 
raifed  obje(r^ions,  or  entertained  doubts,  about  fome 
other  pans  of  the  fame  colleftion.  But  t'ne  paiTage 
proves  fomething  more  than  this.  The  author  was 
extremely  converfant  i.i  the  writings  of  Chriilians, 
which  haJ  been  publiflied  from  the  commencement 
of  the  in'litution  to  his  own  time;  and  it  was  from 
thefe  writings  that  he  drew  his  knowledge  of  the 
rharafter  and  reception  of  the  books  ia  quedion. 
That  Ei;febius  recurred  to  this  medium  of  iiifornia- 
ticn,  and  that  he  had  examined  with  attention  thii 
fpecies  of  proof,  is  Ihewn,  fiift,  by  a  piiffage  in  the 
very  chapter  we  are  quoting,  in  which,  fpe. iking  of 
the  books  which  he  calls  fpuriou>,  '  None  (he  fays) 
'  of  the  ecclefiafLlcal  writers,  in  tlie  fuccefllon  oi'  the 
'  apoftles,  have  vouchfafed  to  make  any  mention  of 
'  them  in  their  writim;s  ;'  and  fecondly,  by  another 
palTage  of  the  fimj  work,  wherein,  fpeaking  of  the 
iirit  epiftle  of  Peter,  '  This  (he  fays)  the  prefl^ytcri 

*  of  ancient  times  have  quoted  in  thtir  wrning^ 
'  as  undoubtedly  genuine | ;'  and  then  freaking  of 
{ome    other  writings   bearing   the  name   of   Peter, 

*  We  know  (he  fays)  that  they  have  not  been  deli- 
'  vered  down  to  us  in  the  number  of  catholic  wri- 
.*  lin'js,  forafniuch  as  no  ccclefiadical  writers  ut  the 

*  Tliat  Eufehins  could  not  intend,  by  die  W' "rd  rendered 

*  fpur'uHis,'  wliat  we  at  prcfent  mean  by  it,  is  eviJent  irom  .t 
claufc  in  this  very  cluiptcr,  where,  fpenkinj;-  of  tlio  g<»lpeis  rr 
Peter  anci  Thr.m.is,  and  M.tttlii.is  and  ionie  C)thei"',  )ie  Ciys, 

*  They  are  not  lo  much  ;is  to  be  reckoned  aniow^  the  f^anous, 

*  but  are  to  be  reieif^vcd,  as  alt'^gtther  abilird  ni,d  iuiplcui.* 
Vol.  Vlil.  p.  93.  '  t  Lard.  Cred.  voL  VilU  p.  o.j. 

M  2  ^  .r^cicnis 


i<<4  A  VIEV7  OF  THE 

*  ancients,  or  of  our  times,  have  mude  life  of  teflimo- 
'  nies  out  of  them.'  '  But  in  the  progrefs  of  this 
'  hiftory,'  the  author  proceeds,  '  we  Ihall  make  it 
'  our  bufioefs  to  Ihow,  together  with  the  fuccelTions 
'  from  the  apofties,  what  ecclefiaftical  writers,  ia 
'  every  age,  have  ufed  fuch  writings  as  thefe  which 
'  are  contradicted,  and  what  they  have  faid,  with 
'  regard  to  the  fcriptures  received  in  the  New  Tef- 
'  tament,  and  acknowledged  by  all^  and  with  regard 
'  to  ihofe  which  are  net  fuch*.' 

After  this  it  is  reafonable  to  believe,  that,  when 
Eufebius  dates  the  four  gofpels,  and  the  a£ts  of  the 
apoflles,  as  uncontradicted,  uncontefted,  and  ac- 
knowledged by  ail ;  and  when  he  places  them  in  op- 
pofnion,  not  only  to  thofe  which  were  fpurious  in 
our  fenfe  of  that  term,  but  to  thofe  which  were  con- 
troverted, and  even  to  thofe  which  were  well  known 
and  approved  by  many,  yet  doubted  of  by  fome ; 
he  reprefents,  not  only  the  fcnfe  of  his  own  age,  but 
the  refult  of  the  evidence,  which  the  writings  of 
prior  ages,  from  the  apoftles'  time  to  his  own,  had 
furniihcd  to  his  enquiries,  llie  opinion  of  Eufebius 
and  his  contemporaries,  appears  to  have  been  found- 
ed upon  the  teilimony  of  writers  whom  they  then 
cJled  ancient ;  and  we  may  obferve,  that  fuch  of 
the  works  of  thefe  writers,  as  have  come  down  to 
our  times,  entirely  confirm  the  judgm.ent,  and  fup- 
port  the  didinftion  which  Eufebius  propofes.  The 
books,  which  he  calls,  '  books  univerfally  acknow- 

*  ledgcd,'  are  in  faft  ufed  and  quoted,  in  the  remain- 
ing works  of  Chridian  v/riters,  during  the  2c;o  years 
between  the  apollles'  time  and  that  of  Eufebius, 
much  more  frequently  than,  and  in  a  different  man- 
ner from,  thofe,  the  authority  of  which,  he  tells  us, 
was  difpuied. 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  VIII.  p.  iii. 

SECT. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  165 


SECT.    IX. 

Our  hiftorical  fcripturcs  ivcre  attacked  by  the  carh 
aihcrfaries  of  Chrijlianity,  as  containhig  the  ac- 
counts upon  %vbich  the  religion  was  founded. 

I.  In  EAR  the  middle  of  the  fecond  cen- 
tury, Celfus,  a  heathen  philofopher,  wrote  a  pro- 
feffed  trcaiife  againft  Chriftianity.  To  this  trcaiife, 
Origen,  who  came  about  fifty  years  after  him,  pub- 
liaied  an  anfwer,  in  which  he  frequently  recites  his 
adverfary's  words  and  arguments.  The  work  ot 
Celfus  is  lofl ;  but  that  of  Origen  remai^ns.  Crigen 
appears  to  have  given  us  the  words  of  Celfus,  where 
he  profeffes  to  give  them,  very  faithfully;  and, 
amongfl  other  reafons  for  thinking  fo,  this  is  one, 
that  the  objeaion,  as  dated  by  him  from  Celfus,  is 
fomeiimes  llronger  than  his  own  anfwer.  1  think  it 
alf)  probable  that  Origen,  in  his  anfwer,  has  retailed 
a  large  portion  of  the  work  of  Celfus :  '  that  it  may 

*  not'^be  fufpeaed  (he  fays)  that  we  pafs  by  any  chap- 
'  ters,  becaufe  we  have  no  anfwers  at  hand,  I  have 
'  thought  it  bed,  according  to  my  ability,  to  confute 

*  every  thing  propofed  by  him,  not  fo  much  obferv- 
'  ing  the  natural  order  of  things,  as  the  order  which 
'  he  has  taken  himfelf*.' 

Celfus  wrote  about  100  years  after  the  gofpels 
were  publiihed  ;  and  therefore  any  notices  of  thefe 
books  from  him  are  extremely  important  for  their 
antiquitv.  They  arc,  however,  rendered  more  fo 
by  the  'character  of  the  author  ;  for  the  reception, 
credit,  and  notoriety  of  thcfe  book>  mull  have  beeo 

*   Or.  cont.  Cclf.  I.  i.  fea.  41. 

1\I    0  Wcl) 


i6$  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

"Well  err^iljijincj  arnongR  Cbrldians,  to  havf  maac 
them  fuVircls  of  animadverfions  and  oppofirlon  by 
Grangers  and  by  enemies.  It  evinces  the  tnnh  ot 
what  Chryrc]lora,t\vo  centuries  afterwards,  obferved, 
that  '  the  gofpels,  when  written,  were  not  hid  in  a 
'  corner,  or  buried  in  obfciirity,  but  they  were  made 

*  known  to  all  the  world,  before  enemies  as  well  as 

*  others,  even  as  they  are  now/ 

1.  Celfus,  or  the  Jew  whom  he  pcrfonates,  ufes 
ihefe  words — '^  I  could  fay  many  things  concerning 
'  the  affairs  of  Jefus,  and  thofe,  too,  different  from 
'  thofo  written  by  the  difciplts  of  jefns,  but  I  pur- 
'  pcfely  omit  them*/  Upon  this  paiTage  it  has  been 
rightly  obferved,  that  it  is  not  eafy  to  believe,  that 
if  Ceifus  could  have  contradifted  the  cifciples  upon 
good  evidence  in  any  material  point,  he  would  have 
omitted  to  do  fo  ;  and  that  the  aiTertion  is,  what 
Origen  rnlk  it,  a  m.ere  oratorical  flouriih. 

It  is  fufHcient  however  to  prove,  that,  in  the  time 
of  Celfus,  there  were  books  well  known,  and  al- 
lowed to  be  written  by  the  difciples  of  Jefus,  which 
books  contained  a  hillory  of  him.  By  the  term 
difdple,  Celfus  does  not  mean  the  followers  of  Jefus 
in  general,  for  them  he  calls  Chridians,  or  believers, 
or  the  like,  but  thofe  who  had  been  taught  by  Jefus 
himfelf,  /.  e.  his  apoftles  and  companions. 

2.  In  another  psffage,  Celfus  accufes  the  Chrif- 
tians  of  altering- the  gofpelf.  The  accufation  refers 
to  fome  varieties  in  the  readings  of  particular  paf- 
fages  ;  for  Celfus  goes  on  to  obje£l,  that  when  they 
are  preffed  hard,  and  one  reading  has  been  confuted, 
they  difown  that,  and  fly  to  another.  We  cannot 
perceive  from  Origen  that  Celfus  fpecified  any  parti- 
cular inflanccs,  and  without  fuch  fpecification  the 

*  LarJner's  Jewifla  and  Heatlien  Teltim.  vo\  II.  p.  274. 
f  Ibid  p^^ge  275. 

charge 


EVIDENCES  OF  CIIRISTIANIPY.  1^7 

charge  is  of  no  valued  But  tlie  true  conclufion  to 
be  drawn  from  it  is,  that  there  were  iu  the  hands  of 
the  Chrifti:iiTS,  liiflories,  which  were  even  then  of 
fome  (landing  ;  for  various  readings  and  corruptions 
do  not  take  place  in  reren:  produ6lions. 

The  former  quotation,  the  reader  will  remember, 
proved  that  thefc  books  were  compofc-d  b)'^  the  difci- 
plcs  of  Jefus,  llriclly  fo  called  ;  the  prcfcnt  quotaiion 
ihews,  that  though  objections  were  taken  by  tiie 
advcrff'ries  of  the  religion  to  the  integrity  of  thcfe 
])Ooks,  there  was  none  to  their  frenuinenefs. 

3.  In  a  third  paiTage,  the  Jew,  whom  Celfiis  in- 
troduces, fliuts  up  an  argument  in  this  manner  : — 
'  Thffe  things  then  we  have  alleged  to  you  out  of 
'  your  oivii  writings,  not  needing  any  other  weapons*.* 
It  is  manifefi:  that  this  !>oafl:  proceeds  upon  the  fup- 
pofition  that  the  books,  over  which  the  writer  af- 
fefts  to  triumph,  polTefl'ed  an  authority,  by  which 
Chriftians  confeffed  theinfelves  to  be  bound. 

4.  That  the  books  to  wliich  Celfus  refers  vrere 
no  oth,er  than  our  prefent  gofpels,  is  made  out  by 
his  allufions  ro  various  pafl'ages  dill  found  in  thefe 
gofpels.  Celfus  takes  notice  of  the  gencalo^Jes, 
which  fixes  two  of  thefe  gofpels  :  of  the  prerepts, 
rcfifl  not  him  that  injures  you,  r;nd,  if  a  man  firike 
thee  on  the  one  check,  offer  to  liim  the  other  alfo| ; 
of  the  woes  denounced  by  Chrift  ;  his  prediftions  ; 
his  fciying  thut  it  is  impoffible  to  ferve  two  maftersj  ; 
of  the  purple  robe,  the  crown  of  thorns,  and  the 
reed  in  his  hand  ;  of  the  blood  that  flowed  from 
the  body  of  ]z{{\<.  upon  the  crofs§,  which  circum- 
ftance  is  recorded  by  John  alone  ;  and  (what  is  inflar 
omnium  for  the  purpofe  for  which  we  produce  it) 
of  the  difference  in  the  accounts  given  of  the  rcfur- 

*  'LztL  Teft.  vol   II.  p.  276.        t  II>.  p.  276. 

\   lb.  p.  277.  §   Ho.  p.  280,  28 1. 

M  J.  rcftion 


i6S  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

region  by  the  evangelifls,  fome  mentioning  two  an- 
gels at  the  fepulchre,  others  only  one  *. 

It  is  extremely  material  to  reiiiark,  that  Celfiis 
not  only  perpetually  referred  to  the  accou  :ts  of 
Chrift  contained  in  the  four  gofpelsf,  but  that  he 
referred  to  no  other  accounts ;  that  he  founded  none 
of  his  objections  to  Chrillianicy  upon  any  thing  de- 
livered in  fpurious  gofpels. 

II.  What  Celfus  was  in  the  fecond  century.  Por- 
phyry became  in  the  third.  His  work,  which  was 
a  large  and  formal  treatife  againfl:  the  Chridian  reli- 
gion, is  not  extant.  V\fc  mud  be  content  therefore 
to  gather  his  objeftions  from  Chrillian  writers,  who 
have  noticed  in  order  to  anfwer  them  ;  and  enough 
remains  of  this  fpecies  of  infoimation,  ro  prove 
completely,  that  Porphyry's  animadvcrfions  were 
direded  againd  the  contents  of  our  prefent  gcfp«-Is, 
and  of  the  a(5ts  of  the  apoitles  ;  Porphyry  confider- 
ing  that  to  overthrow  them  was  to  overrhrow  the 
religion.  Thus  he  objects  to  the  repetition  of  a  ge- 
neration in  St.  Matthews  genealogy  ;  to  Matthev.'s 
call ;  to  the  quotation  of  a  text  from  Ifaiah,  which 
is  found  in  a  pfa!m  afcribed  to  Afaph  ;  to  the  calling 
of  the  Lake  of  Tiberias  a  fea  ;  to  the  expreiTion  in 
St.  Matthcv/,  '  the  abomination  of  defolation  ;*  to 
the  variation  in  Matthew  and  Mark  upon  the  text 
'  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wildernefs,'  Mat- 
thew -citing  it  from  Ifaias,  Mark  from  the  prophets  ; 
to  John's  application  of  the  term  *  word;'  to 
Chrilf's  change  of  intention  about  going  up  to  tiie 
feaft  of  tabernacles  (John  vii.  8)  ;  to  the  judgment 
denounced  by  St.  Peter  upon  Ananias  and  vSapphira, 
Vvhicli  he  calls  an  imprecation  of  death  j. 

*  LnrJ.  Teft.  vol.  II.  p.  282. 

f  The  particulars,  of  which  the  above  are  only  a  few,  are 
well  coUeSed  by  Mr.  Bryant,  p.  140. 

±  Jewith  and  Heathen  Teft.  vol.  III.  p.  i6(5.  etfeq. 

The 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY-  169 

The  inOances  here  alleged  ferve,  in  fome  mea- 
furc,  to  fliow  the  nature  of  Porphyry's  objc<^ions, 
and  prove  that  Porphyry  had  read  the  gofpels  with 
that  fort  of  attention,  which  a  writer  would  em- 
ploy, who  regarded  them  as  the  depofitaries  oi  that 
religion  which  he  attacked.  Befides  thefe  fpecifi- 
cations,  there  exifls  in  the  v/ritings  of  ancient  Chrif- 
tians  general  evidence,  that  the  places  of  fcripture, 
upon  which  Porphyry  had  remarked,  v/erc  very 
numerous. 

In  fome  of  the  above  cited  examples,  Porphyry, 
fpeaking  of  St.  Matthew,  calls  him  your  evangelid  ; 
he  alfo  ufes  the  term  cvangelifts  in  the  plural  num- 
ber. What  was  faid  of  Celfus  is  true  likewifc  of 
Porphyry,  that  it  does  not  appear  that  he  conil- 
dered  any  hiilory  of  Chrii'l,  except  thefe,  as  having 
authority  Vv'irh  Chriflians. 

III.  A  third  great  writer  againfl  the  Chriflian  re- 
ligion was  the  emperor  Julian,  whofe  work  was  com- 
pofed  about  a  century  after  that  of  Porphyry. 

In  various  long  extra<ft<;,  tranfcribed  from  this 
work  by  Cyril  and  Jerome,  it  appears  *  that  Julian 
noticed  by  name  Matthew  and  Luke,  in  the  differ- 
ence betv/een  their  genealogies  of  Chrift  ;  that  he 
objeiHied  to  Matthev/'s  spplication  of  the  prophecy, 
'  Out  of  Kgypt  have  I  called  my  fon*  (ii.  15.),  nnd 
to  that  of  *  a  virgin  fliail  conceive*  (i.  22.)  ;  that  he 
recircd  fiiyings  of  C'hri!!:,  and  various  pafTages  of  his 
hiftory,  in  the  very  words  of  the  evangelifls  ;  in  par- 
ticular, that  Jefus  healed  lame  and  blind  people,  and 
cxorcifed  demoniacs,  in  the  villages  of  Bethfaida 
and  Bethany  ;  that  he  alleged  that  none  of  Chrifl's 
difciples  afcribed  to  him  the  creation  of  the  world, 
except  John  ;  that  neither  Paul,  nor  Matthew,  nor 
Luke,  nor  Mark,  had  dared  to  call  Jefus,  God  ; 

*  Jewi(h  and  Heather.  Teib  vol.  IV.  p.  77,  et  feq. 

that 


I70  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

that  John  wrote  later  than  the  other  evangelids,  and 
at  a  time  v;hen  a  great  number  of  men  in  the  cities 
of  Greece  and  Italy  were  converted  ;  that  he  alludes 
to  the  converfion  of  Cornelius  and  of  Ser^jius  Pau- 
lus,  to  Peter's  vifion,  to  the  circular  letter  fent  bv 
the  apoPdes  and  elders  at  Jerufalem,  which  are  all 
recorded  in  the  a£l:s  of  the  apodles,  and  by  quoting 
no  other,  Julian  fliows  that  thefe  were  the  hiilorical 
books,  and  the  only  hiftorical  books,  received  by 
Chriilians  as  of  authority,  and  as  the  authentic  me- 
inoirs  of  Jcfus  Chrifl,  of  his  apoflles,  and  of  the 
doclrines  taught  by  them.  But  Julian's  teflimony 
docs  fomething  more  than  reprefent  the  judgment  of 
the  Chrillian  church  in  his  time.  It  difcovers  alfo 
his  own.  He  himfelf  exprefsly  flares  the  early  date 
of  thefe  records.  He  all  along  fuppofes,  he  no 
where  attempts  to  queftion,  their  genuinenefs. 

The  an^ument  in  favour  of  the  books  of  the 
New  Teflament,  drawn  from  the  notice  taken  of 
their  contents  by  the  early  writers  againf!:  the  reli- 
gion, is  very  confiderable.  It  fliows  that  the  ac- 
counts, which  Chriftians  had  then,  were  the  accounts 
which  we  have  now  ;  that  our  prefent  fcriptures 
were  theirs.  It  fliows,  moreover,  that  neither  Cel- 
fus  in  the  iecond,  Porphyry  in  the  third,  nor  Julian 
in  the  fourth  century,  fufpefted  the  authenticity  of 
thefe  books,  or  ever  infmuated  that  Chriflians  were 
sniilaken  in  the  authors  to  whom  they  afcribed  them. 
Not  one  of  them  exprefTed  an  opinion  upon  this 
fubje(ft  diiFerent  from  that  which  was  held  by  Chrif- 
tians.  And  when  we  confidcr  how  much  it  v/ould 
have  availed  them  to  have  call  a  doubt  upon  this 
point,  if  they  could  ;  and  how  ready  they  fliowed 
themfelves  to  be,  to  take  every  advantage  in  their 
power;  and  that  they  were  all  men  of  learning  and 
enquiry;  their  concefTion,  or  rather  their  fuffrage, 
upon  the  fubjeiit,  is  extrcm.ely  valuable. 

.        .  In 


EVIDFNCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


171 


In  the  cafe  of  Porphyry,  it  is  made  ftill  Wronger 
by  the  confkkration  that  he  did  in  fa6l  fiipport  him- 
fclf  by  this  fpccics  of  objc(fl:ion,  when  he  faw  any 
room  for  it,  or  when  his  acutcnefs  could  fupply  any 
pretence  for  alleging  it.  The  prophecy  of  Daniel 
he  attacked  upon  this  very  ground  of  fpurioufnefs, 
infifting  that  it  was  written  after  the  time  of  Antic- 
chus  Epiphane?,  and  maintains  his  charge  of  forgery 
by  fome  far-fetched  indeed,  but  very  fubtle  criti- 
cifms.  ConcernincT  the  writinps  of  the  New  Tcfla- 
ment,  no  trace  of  this  fufpicion  is  any  where  to  be 
found  in  him  *. 


SECT.     X. 

Fornial  catalogues  of  authentic  fcriptures  were  pub- 
lijhed^  in  all  ichich  cur  prcfent  /acred  bijlories 
were  included. 

A  HIS  fpecies  of  evidence  comes  later 
than  the  reft,  as  it  was  not  natural  that  catalogues 
of  any  particular  clafs  of  books  fliouid  be  put  forth, 
until  Chriftian  writings  became  numerous,  or  until 
fome  writings  fliowed  themfelves,  claiming  titles 
which  did  not  belong  to  them,  and  thereby  render- 
ing it  neccfiary  to  feparate  books  of  authority  from 
others.  But,  when  it  doe^  appear,  it  is  extremely 
fatisfaftory  ;  the  catalogues,  though  numerous,  and 
made  in  countries  at  a  wide  dlftance  from  one  ano- 


*  MIchaelis's  IntroduL^Ion  to  tlic  New  Ted.  vol.  I.  p.  43. 
Marfli's  Tranfiation. 

ther, 


172  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

ther,  (differing  very  little,  differing  in  nothing  wjiich 
IS  material,  and  all  containing  the  four  gofpels.  To 
this  lafl  article  there  is  no  exception. 

I.  In  the  writings  of  Origen  which  remain,  and 
in  fome  extrafts  preferved  by  Eufebius,  from  works 
of  his  which  are  now  lod,  there  are  enumerations 
of  the  books  of  fcripture,  in  which  the  four  gofpels 
and  the  afts  of  the  apoftles  are  dif^inftly  and  honour- 
ably fpecified,  and  in  which  no  books  appear  befide 
what  are  now  received  *.  1  he  reader,  by  this  time, 
will  eafily  recolle«R:  that  the  date  of  Origen's  work 
is  A.  D.  230. 

II.  Athanafms,  about  a  century  afterwards,  de- 
livered a  catalogue  of  the  books  of  the  New  Tefla- 
ment   in  form,  containing    our   fcripturcs    and  no 

■others;  of  which  he  fays,  '  In  thefe  alone  the  doc- 

*  trine  of  religion  is  taught ;  let  no  man  add  to  them, 
'  or  take  any  thing  from  them  |.' 

III.  About  tv/enty  years  after  Athanafms,  Cyril, 
Bifhop  of  Jerufalem,  fet  forth  a  catalogue  of  the 
books  of  fcripture,  publicly  read  at  that  time  in  the 
church  of  Jerufalem,  exaflly  the  fame  as  ours,  except 
that  the  '  revelation'  is  omitted  J. 

IV.  And,  fifteen  years  after  Cyril,  the  council 
of  Laodicea  delivered  an  authoritative  catalogue  of 
canonical  fcripture,  like  Cyril's,  the  fame  as  ours, 
with  the  omiffion  of  the  '  revelation.' 

V.  Catalogues  now  became  frequent.  Within 
thirty  years  from  the  laft  date,  that  is,  from  the  year 
2,6^  to  near  the  conclufion  of  the  fourth  century, 
we  have  catalogues  by  Epiphanius§,  by  Gregory 
Nazianzen  jj,  by  Philafler,  Bifnop  of  Brefcia  in  Ita- 
ly^,   by   Amphilochius,    Bifliop  of  Iconiuin,  all, 

*  Vol.  III.  p.  254,  et  feq.  Vol  VIIL  p.  19,^. 

t  Vol.  VIII.  p.  223.         1;   lb.  p.  270.         §  lb.  p.  368. 
II  Vol.  IX.  p.  132.  ^!  lb.  p.  373- 

as 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ryj 

as  ihey  are  fometimes  called,  clean  catalogues  (that 
is,  ihcy  admit  no  books  into  the  number  befide  what 
we  now  receive)  and  'all,  for  every  purpofe  of  hiflo- 
ric  evidence,  the  fame  as  ours  *. 

VI.  Vi/ithin  the  fame  period,  Jerome,  the  mofl 
learned  Chriitian  writer  of  his  age,  delivered  a  cata- 
logue of  the  Ijooks  of  the  New  Tcllamenr,  recog- 
nizing every  book  now  received,  with  the  intima- 
tion of  a  doubt  concerning  the  epiftle  to  the  Hebrews 
alone,  and  taking  not  the  leall  notice  of  any  book 
which  is  not  now  received  f . 

VII.  Contemporary  with  Jerome,  who  lived  in 
Paleftine,  was  St.  Augudine  in  Africa,  who  pub- 
lilhed  likewife  a  catalogue  without  joining  to  the 
fcriptures,  as  books  of  authority,  any  other  eccle- 
fiadical  writing  whatever,  and  without  omitting  one 
which  we  at  this  day  acknowledge  |. 

VIII.  And  with  thefe  concurs  another  contempo- 
rary writer,  Rufen,  prefbyter  of  Aquileia,  whofe 
catalogue,  like  theirs,  is  perfe<n:  and  unmixed,  and 
concludes  with  thefe  remarkable  words :  '  Thefe  are 
'  the  volumes  which  the  Fathers  have  included  in 
'  the  canon,  and  out  of  which  they  would  have  us 
'  prove  the  dofftrine  of  our  faith  §.* 


*  Epiphanius  omits  the  afts  of  the  apoftles.  This  muft 
have  been  an  accidental  miftake  either  in  him  or  in  feme 
copj-iil;  of  his  work,  for  he  elfewhere  cxprel'sly  refers  to  tliis 
book,  and  afcribcs  it  to  Luke. 

t  Vol.  X.  p.  77.  t    lb.  p.  21  j.  §   lb.  p.  187. 


SECT. 


174  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


SECT.    XL 

Hhefe  propofitions  cannot  be  predicaied  of  any  of  tbofe 
books^  which  are  commonly  called  apocryphal  books 
cf  the  New  Tejiament, 

J.  DO  not  know  that  the  objciftion  taken 
from  apocryphal  writings  is  at  prefent  much  relieJ 
upon  by  fcholars.  But  there  are  many,  who,  hear- 
ing that  various  gofpeis  exifted  in  ancient  times  un- 
der the  names  of  the  apoftles,  may  have  taken  up  a 
notion,  that  the  feleftion  of  our  prefent  gofpeis  from 
the  rell  was  rather  an  arbitrary  or  accidental  choice, 
than  founded  in  any  clear  and  certain  caufe  of  pre- 
ference. To  thcfe  it.  may  be  very  ufeful  to  knov/ 
ihe  truth  of  the  cafe.     I  obferve  therefore, 

I.  That  befide  our  gofpek-  and  the  a61s  of  the 
apodles,  no  Chriilian  hiftory,  claiming  to  be  Vv^ritteu 
by  an  apoftle  or  apoflolical  man,  is  quoted  within 
three  hundred  years  after  the  birth  of  Chrift,  by 
any  writer  now  extant,  or  known  ;  or,  if  quoted,  is 
not  quoted  with  marks  of  cenfure  and  rejection. 

1  have  not  advanced  this  alTertion  without  en- 
quiry ;  and  I  doubt  not,  but  that  the  pairage<?  cited 
by  Mr.  Jones  and  Dr.  Lardner,  under  the  fevcral 
titles  which  the  apocryphal  books  bear,  or  a  refer- 
ence to  the  places  where  they  are  mentioned,  as  col- 
lected in  a  very  accurate  table,  puhliflied  in  the  year 
1773  by  the  Rev.  J.  Atkinfcn,  will  make  out  the 
truth  of  the  propofirion  to  the  fiuis faction  of  every 
fair  and  competent  judgment.  If  there  be  any  book 
which  may  feem  to  form  an  exception  to  the  obfer- 
vation,  it  is  a  Hebrew  gofpel,  which  was  circulated 
under  the  various  titles  cf  the  gofpel  according  to 

the 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  175 

the  Hebrews,  the  gofpel  of  the  Nazarenes,  of  the 
Kbioniics,  fomeiiincs  called  of  the  twelve,  by  feme 
afcribed  to  St.  Matihqw.  This  gofpel  is  once^  and 
only  GHi:e,  cited  by  CleiTient  Alexandrinus,  who  lived, 
the  reader  will  rcmciTjber,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
fecond  century,  and  which  fame  Clement  cjuotes  one 
or  other  of  our  four  pofpels  in  almolt  every  page  of 
his  work.  It  is  alfo  twice  mentioned  by  Origen, 
A.  D.  230  ;  and  boih  times  with  marks  of  diminu- 
tion and  difcredit.  And  this  is  the  ground  upon 
wliich  the  exception  (lands.  But  what  is  dill  more 
material  to  ol/ferve,  is,  that  this  gofpel,  in  the  main, 
agreed  v.'iih  our  prefect  gofpel  of  St.  Matthew  *. 

Now  if,  with  this  account  of  the  apocryphal  gof- 
pels,  v>e  compare  what  we  have  read,  concerning 
the  canonical  fcripturcs  in  the  preceding  feftions;  or 
even  recolleft  that  general,  but  well-founded,  alfer- 
tion  of  Dr.  Lnrdner's,  '  that  in  the  remaining  works 

*  of  Ircna:?us,  Clement  of  Alex;indria,  and  Tertullian, 

*  who  all  lived  in  the  two  firft  centuries,  there  are 
'  more,  and  larger  quotations  of  the  fraall  volume  of 
'  the   New  Teitaincnt,   than   of  all    the    works   of 

*  Cicero,   by   writers   of  all   charaftcrs,  for  feveral 

*  ages  f ;'  and  if  to  this  v;e  add,  that,  notwithftanding 
the  lofs  of  many  works  of  the  primitive  times  of 
Chriftianicy,  we  have,  within  the  above-mentioned 
period,  the  remains  of  Chrifliian  writers,  who  lived 
in  Palciline,  Syria,  Afia  Minor,  Egypt,  the  part  of 
Africa  that  ufed  the  Latin  tongue,  in  Crete,  Greece, 
Italy,  and  Gaul,  in  all  which  remains,  references  are 

*  In  applying  to  this  gofpel,  what  Jerome  in  the  latter 
end  of  the  fourth  century  has  mentioned  of  a  Hebrew  gofpel, 
I  think  it  probable  that  we  fometimes  confound  it  with  a 
Hebrew  copy  of  St.  Matthew's  gofpel,  whether  an  orignal  or 
vcrfipn,  which  was  then  extant. 

t  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  XII.  p.  si- 

found 


1?^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

found  to  our  evangelifts;  I  apprehend,  that  we  fhall 
perceive  a  clear  and  broad  line  of  divifion,  between 
thofe  writings,  and  all  others  pretending  to  a  fimilar 
authority. 

II.  But  befide  certain  hijiories  which  affumed  the 
name  of  apoftles,  and  which  were  forgeries  properly 
fo  called,  there  were  foine  other  Chriftian  writings, 
in  the  whole  or  in  part  of  an  hillorica!  nature,  which, 
though  not  forgeries,  are  denominated  apocryphal, 
as  being  of  uncertain,  or  of  no  authority. 

Of  this  fecond  clafs  of  writings,  1  have  found  only 
two,  which  are  noticed  by  any  author  of  the  three 
firft  centuries,  without  exprefs  terms  of  condemnation; 
and  thefe  are,  the  one,  a  book  entitled  the  preaching 
of  Peter,  quoted  repeatedly  by  Clement  Alexandri- 
nus,  A.  D.  196;  the  other,  a  book  entitled  the  reve- 
velation  of  Peter,  upon  which  the  above-meinioned 
Clement  Alexandrinus.  is  faid,  by  Eufebius,  to  have 
written  notes;  and  which  is  twice  cited  in  a  work 
dill  extant,  afcribed  to  the  fame  author. 

1  conceive,  therefore,  that  the  propofition  we 
have  before  advanced,  even  after  it  hath  been  fub- 
jefted  to  every  exception,  of  every  kind,  that  can  be 
alleged,  feparates,  by  a  wide  interval,  our  hiftorical 
fcriptures,  from  all  other  writings  which  profefs  to 
give  an  account  of  the  fame  fubje(fi:. 

We  may  be  permitted  however  to  add, 

I.  That  there  is  no  evidence,  that  any  fpurions 
or  apocryphal  books  whatever,  exifted  in  the  firft 
century  of  the  Chriitian  cera;  in  which  century  all 
cur  hiftorical  books  are  proved  to  have  been  extant. 
*  There  are  no  quotations  of  any  fuch  books  in  the 
'  apoftoHc  fathers,  by  Vv^hom  I  mean  Barnabas,  Cic- 
'  ment  of  Rome,  Hermas,  Ignatius,  and  Polycarp, 
'  whofe  writings  reach  from  about  the  year  of  our 
'  Lord  70,  to  the  year  108;'  (and  fome  of  whom 
have  quoted  each  and  every  one  of  our  hiftorical 
I  fcriptures) 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  177 

fcripturesj  *  I  fay  this/  adds  Dr.  Lardner,  *  bccaufe 
*  I  think  it  has  been  proved  *.' 

2.  Thefe  apocryphal  writings  were  not  read  in  the 
churches  of  Chriftians; 

3.  Were  not  admitted  into  their  volume; 

4.  Do  not  appear  in  their  catalogues; 

5.  Were  not  noticed  by  their  adverfaries; 

6.  Were  not  alleged  by  different  parties,  as  of 
authority  in  their  controverfies; 

7.  Were  not  the  fubjefts  amongfl  them,  of  com- 
mentaries, verfions,  collations,  cxpofirions. 

Finally;  befide  the  filence  of  three  centuries,  or 
evidence,  within  that  time  of  their  rejeftion,  they 
were,  with  a  coafent  nearly  univerfal,  reprobated  by 
Chrillian  writers  of  fucceeding  ages. 

Although  it  be  made  out  by  thefe  obfervations, 
that  the  books  in  queftion  never  obtained  any  degree 
of  credit  and  notoriety,  which  can  place  them  in 
competition  with  our  fcriptures,  yet  it  appears  from 
the  writings  of  the  fourth  century,  that  many  fuch 
exifted  in  that  century,  and  in  the  century  preceding 
it.  It  may  be  difficult  at  this  diftance  of  time  to 
account  for  their  origen.  Perhaps  the  mofl:  probable 
explication  is,  that  they  were  in  general  compofed 
with  a  defign  of  making  a  profit  by  the  fale.  What- 
ever treated  of  the  fubjeft  would  find  purchafers.  It 
was  an  advantage  taken  of  the  pious  cmriofity  of 
unlearned  Chriftians.  With  a  view  to  the  fame 
purpofe,  they  were  many  of  them  adapted  to  the 
particular  opinions  of  particular  fe<5ls,  which  would 
naturally  promote  their  circulation  amongfl:  the 
favourers  of  their  opinions.  After  all,  they  were 
probably  much  more  obfcure  than  we  imagine. 
Except  the  gofpel  according  to  the  Hebrews,  there 
is  none,  of  which  we  hear  more,  than  the  gofpel  of 

*  Lard.  Cred.  vol.  XII.  p.  1 58. 

N  the 


178  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  Egyptians;  yet  there  is  good  reafon  to  believcT 
that  Clement,  a  prefbyter  of  Alexandria  in  Egypt, 
A.  D.  184,  and  a  man  of  almoft  univerfal  reading, 
had  never  fcen  it*.  A  gofpcl  according  to  Peter, 
was  another  of  the  mod  ancient  bocks  of  this  kind; 
yet  Serapion,  Bifhop  of  Antioch,  A.  D.  200,  had 
not  read  it,  when  he  heard  of  fuch  a  book  being  in 
the  hands  of  the  Chriftians  of  Rhoffus  in  Cilicia; 
and  fpeaks  of  obtaining  a  fight  of  this  gofpel  from 
forae  fe6laries  who  ufed  itf .  Even  of  the  gofpel  of 
the  Hebrews,  which  confelTedly  (lands  at  the  head 
of  the  catalogue,  Jerome  at  the  end  of  the  fourth 
century,  was  glad  to  procure  a  copy  by  the  favour 
of  the  Nazareans  of  Berea.  Nothing  of  this  fort 
ever  happened  or  could  have  happened,  concerning 
our  gofpels. 

One  thing  is  obfervable  of  all  the  apocryphal 
Chriflian  writings,  that  they  proceed  upon  the  fame 
lundamental  hiftory  of  Chrifi;  and  his  apoflles,  as 
that  wliich  is  difclofed  in  our  fcriptures.  The  mif- 
lion  of  Chrift,  his  power  of  working  miracles,  his 
communication  of  that  povi'er  to  the  apodles,  his 
paffion,  death  and  refurreftion,  are  alTumed  or 
aiferted  by  every  one  of  them.  The  names  under 
which  fome  of  them  came  forth,  are  the  names  of 
men  of  eminence  in  our  hiftories.  What  thefs  books 
give,  are  not  contradictions,  but  unauthorized  addi- 
tions. The  principal  fafts  are  fuppofed,  the  prin- 
cipal agents  the  fame ;  which  fliews  that  thefe 
points  were  too  much  fixed  to  be  altered  or  difputed. 

If  there  be  any  book  of  this  defcription,  which 
appears  to  have  impofed  upon  fome  confidcrable 
number  of  learned  Chriftians,  it  is  the  Sybilline 
orac'es  ;  but,  when  we  reflect  upon  the  circumftancts 
which   faciiitared  that  impofture,  we  fliall  ceafe  to 

*  Jonss,  vol   I.  p.  243.     f  Liird,  Cred.  vol,  IL  p.  557. 

wonder 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  17^^ 

wonJer  either  at  the  attempt,  or  its  fiiccefs.  It  was 
at  that  time  univerfally  underftood  that  fiich  a  pro- 
phetic writing  exilT:ed.  Its  contents  were  kept  fecret. 
This  lituation  aflbrded  to  fome  one  a  liiut,  as  well 
as  an  opportunity,  to  give  out  a  writing  under  this 
name,  favourable  to  the  aheady  eftabliflied  perfiiafiou 
of  Chridians,  and  which  writing,  j-jy  the  aid  and 
recommendation  of  chefe  circumllances,  would  in 
fome  degree,  it  is  probable,  be  received.  Of  the 
ancient  forgery  we  know  but  little;  what  is  now 
produced  could  not,  in  my  opinion,  have  impofed 
upon  any  one.  It  is  nothing  elfe  than  the  gofpcl 
hiflory,  woven  into  Latin  verfe.  Perhaps  it  was  ac 
lirft,  rather  a  fiftion,  than  a  forgery;  an  exercife  of 
ingenuity,  more  than  an  attempt  to  deceive. 


CHAP.    X. 

1  HE  reader  will  now  be  pleafed  to  re* 
coflecH:,  that  the  two  points  which  form  the  fubjeft  of 
our  prefent  difculTion,  are,  firll,  that  the  founder  of 
Chriifianity,  his  aflbciates,  and  immediate  followers, 
pafled  their  lives  in  labours,  dangers,  and  fufferings; 
fecondly,  that  they  did  fo,  in  alteration  of  the  mira- 
culous hiftory  recorded  in  our  fcriptures,  and  folely 
in  confequence  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  tha: 
hiftory. 

The  argument  l)y  which  thefe  two  propofitions 
have  been  maintained  by  us,  (lands  thus  : 

No  hiflorical  hd:,  I  apprehend,  is  more  certain, 
than  that  the  original  propagators  of  Chrillianity 
voluntarily  fuhjetflcd  themfelves  to  lives  of  fatigue, 
danger  and  fulTcring,  in  the  profccution  of  their  un- 

N  2  dertakino; 


i8o  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

dertaking.  The  nature  of  the  undertaking;  the 
c»hara6ler  of  the  perfons  employed  in  it;  the  oppofi- 
tion  of  their  tenets  to  the  fixed  opinions  and  expec- 
tations of  the  country,  in  which  they  firft  advanced 
them;  their  undilTcmbled  condemnation  of  the  reH- 
giqn  of  all  other  countries;  their  total  want  of 
power,  authority,  or  force,  render  it  in  the  highefl 
degree  probable.^  that  this  muft  have  been  the  cafe. 
The  probability  is  increafed,  by  what  we  know  of 
the  fate  of  the  founder  of  the  inftitution,  who  was 
put  to  death  for  his  attempt ;  and  by  what  we  alfo 
know,  of  the  cruel  treatment  of  the  converts  to  the 
inftitution,  within  thirty  years  after  its  commence- 
ment :  both  which  points  are  attefted  by  heathen 
writers,  and  being  once  admitted,  leave  it  very  in- 
credible, that  the  primitive  eraiffaries  of  the  religion, 
who  exercifed  their  miniftry,  firft,  amongft  the 
people  who  had  deftroyed  their  mafter,  and,  after- 
wards amongft  thofe  who  perfecuted  their  converts, 
iliould  themfelves  efcape  with  impunity,  or  purfue 
their  purpofe  in  eafe  and  fafety.  This  probability, 
thus  fuftained  by  foreign  teftimony,  is  advanced,  I 
think,  to  hiftorical  certainty,  by  the  evidence  of  our 
own  books ;  by  the  accounts  of  a  writer,  who  was  the 
companion  of  the  perfons,  whofe  fufferings  he  relates ; 
by  the  letters  of  the  perfons  themfelves ;  by  predic- 
tions of  perfecutions  afcribed  to  the  founder  of  the  reli- 
gion, which  predictions  would  not  have  been  inferted 
in  his  hiftory,  much  lefs  have  been  ftudioufly  dwelt 
upon,  if  they  had  not  accorded  with  the  event,  and 
which,  even  if  falfely  afcribed  to  him,  could  only 
have  been  fo  afcribed,  becaufe  the  event  fuggefted 
ihcm  ;  laftly,  by  inceffant  exhortations  to  fortitude 
and  patience,  and  by  an  earneftnefs,  repetition,  and 
urgency  upon  the  fubjecl,  which  were  unlikely  to  have 
appeared,  if  there  had  not  been,  at  the  time,  fomc 
extraordinary  call  for  the  exercife  of  thefe  virtues. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  iSi 

It  is  made  out  alfo,  I  tliink,  with  fufficicnt  evi- 
dence, that  both  the  teachers  and  converts  of  tti» 
religion,  in  confeqiiencc  of  ihcir  new  piofeflion,  took 
up  a  new  courfc  of  life  and  beluiviour. 

The  next  great  queflion  is,  what  they  did  this 
FOR.  That  it  was  jor  a  miraculous  ftory  of  feme 
kind  or  other  is,  to  my  apprehenfion,  extremely 
manifeft;  becaufe,  as  to  the  fundamenial  article,  the 
dcfif^nation  of  the  perfon,  viz.  that  this  particular 
pcrfon,  Jefus  of  Nazareth,  ought  to  be  received  as 
the  Meffiah,  or  as  a  melTenger  from  God,  they 
neither  had,  nor  could  have,  any  thing  but  miracles 
to  ftand  upon.  That  the  exertions  and  fulVerings  of 
the  apoflles  were  for  the  flory  which  we  have  now, 
is  proved  by  the  confideration,  th;it  tliis  ftory  is 
tranfmitted  to  us  by  two  of  their  own  number,  and 
by  two  others  perfonally  connected  with  them;  that 
the  particularity  of  the  narratives  prove,  that  the 
writers  claimed  to  polTefs  circumftantial  information, 
that  from  their  fiiuaiion  they  had  full  opportunity  of 
acquiring  fuch  information,  that  they  certainly,  at 
leall,  knew  what  their  colleagues,  their  companions, 
their  mafters  taught;  that  each  of  thefe  books  con- 
tains enough  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  religion  ; 
that,  if  any  one  of  them  therefore  be  genuine,  it  is 
fufficient ;  that  the  genuinenefs  however  of  all  of 
them,  is  made  out,  as  well  by  the  general  arguments 
which  evince  the  genuinenefs,  of  the  moft  undifputcd 
remains  of  antiquity,  as  alfo  by  peculiar  and  fpecific 
proofs,  viz.  by  citations  from  them  in  writings  be- 
longing to  a  period  immediately  contiguous  to  that 
in  which  they  were  publiftied  ;  by  the  diflinguiflied 
regard  paid  by  early  Chriftians  to  the  authority  of 
ihefe  books,  (which  regard  was  manifcfted  by  their 
collefling  of  them  into  a  volume,  appropi  iaiing  to  that 
volume  titles  of  peculiar  refpcft,  tranflating  them 
into  various  languages,  digefting  them  inro  Irarmo- 

N  3  nies, 


182  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

nies,  writing  commentaries  upon  them,  and,  Uill  more 
confpicuoufl) ,  by  the  reading  of  them  in  their  pub- 
lic affemblies  in  all  parts  of  the  world)  by  an 
univtrfal  agreement  with  refpeft  to  thefe  books, 
whilft  doubts  were  entertained  concerning  fome 
others  ;  by  contending  fc£i:s  appealing  to  them  ;  by 
the  early  adverfaries  of  the  rehgion  not  difputing 
their  genuincnefs,  but  on  the  contrary,  treating  them 
as  the  depofiraries  of  the  hiflory  upon  which  the 
religion  was  founded  ;  by  many  formal  catalogues  of 
thefe,  as  of  certain  and  authoritative  writings,  pub- 
liflied  i.  different  and  diftant  parts  of  the  Chriftian 
world  ;  laffly,  by  the  abfence  or  defeft  of  the  above- 
cited  topics  of  evidence,  when  applied  to  any  other 
hidories  of  the  fame  fubjrft. 

"i'here  are  ftrong  arguments  to  prove,  that  the 
books  a»Si:ually  proceeded  from  the  authors  whofe 
Dames  they  bear,  and  have  always  borne  (for  there 
is  not  a  particle  of  evidence  to  fliow  that  they  ever 
went  under  any  other);  but  the  {tri6t  genuintnefs 
of  the  books  is  perhaps  more  than  is  necelTary  ro 
the  fupport  of  our  propofition.  For  even  fuppofmg 
that,  by  reafon  of  the  filence  of  antiquiry,  or  the 
lofs  of  records,  M'e  knew  not  who  were  the  writers 
of  the  four  gofpels,  yet  the  fa61:,  that  they  were 
received  as  authentic  accounts  of  the  tranfaclion  upon 
which  the  religion  refted,  and  were  received  as  fuch 
by  Chriftians  at  or  near  the  age  of  the  apodles,  by 
thofe  whom  the  apoftles  had  taught,  and  by  focieties 
which  the  apoftles  had  founded  ;  this  fa^,  I  fay, 
conne^led  with  the  confideration,  that  they  are  cor- 
roborative of  each  other's  teftimony,  and  that  they 
are  further  corroborated  by  another  contemporary 
hiflory,  taking  up  the  ftory  where  they  had  left  it, 
and,  in  a  narrative  built  upon  that  flory,  accounting 
for  the  rife  and  produftion  of  changes  in  the  world, 
the  cfTeifls  of  which  fubfift  at  this  day;  connected, 

moreover, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  1S3 

moreover,  wiih  the  confirmation  which  they  receive, 
from  letters  written  by  the  apoftles  thcmfdves,  which 
both  affame  the   fame  general  ftory,  and,  as  often 
as  occafions  lead  them  to  do  fo,  allude  to  particular 
parts  of  it  ;  and  connefted   alfo  with  the  refleaion, 
that  if  the  apolUes  delivered  any  dilTerent  ftory,  it 
is  lo(c.  (the  prefent  and  no  other  being  referred  to 
bv  a  feries   of  Chriftian  writers,  down  from  their 
?ge  to  oiu  own  ;  being  likswife  recognized  in  a  va- 
riety  of  inftitntions,  which  prevailed,  early  and  um- 
verfiilly,  amcngft  the  difciples  of  the  religion)  ;  and 
that  fo  great  a  change,  as  the  oblivion  of  one  ftory 
and  theYubftitution  of  another,  under  fuch  circum- 
ftances,  could  not  have  taken  place  ;  this  evidence 
would  be  deemed,  1  appreliend,  fufficient  to  prove 
concerning    thefe   books,    that,  whoever  were   the 
autliors  of  them,  they  exhibit  the  ftory  which  the 
apoftles  told,  and  for  which,  confequently  they  afted, 
and  they  fuffered. 

If  ir  be  (o,  the  religion  muft  be  true.  Thefe  men 
could  not  be  deceivers.  By  only  not  bearing  tefti- 
moiiy,  they  might  have  avoided  all  their  fulTermgs, 
and  h'lve  lived  quietly.  Would  men  in  fuch  circum- 
ftances,  pretend  to  have  feen  what  they  never  faw  ; 
ailert  f afts  which  they  had  no  knowledge  of ;  bring 
upon  themfelves,  for  nothing,  enmity  and   haired, 


danger  and  death  ? 


N  4  OF 


OF   THE 

DIRECT  HISTORICAL  EVIDENCE 

OF 

CHRISTIANITY. 
PROP.     II. 


CHAP.    1. 


Our  firfl:  propofitlon  was,  '  that  there  is  fatisfadory 
evidence^  that  many  pretending  to  be  original  wit' 
nejes  of  the  Chrijiian  Miracles^  P'^Jf^d  their  lives 
in  labours^  dangers^  and  fufferings^  voluntarily 
undertaken  and  undergone  in  attefiaiion  of  the 
accounts  which  they  delivered^  and  folely  in  confe- 
quence  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thefe  accounts  ; 
and  that^  they  alfo  fubmitted  from  the  fame  motive 
to  new  rules  of  conduct.* 

Our  fecond  propofition,  and  which  now  remains  to 
be  treated  of,  is,  '  that  there  is  not  fatisfadory 
evidence^  that  perfons  pretending  to  be  original 
ivitneffes  of  any  other  fimilar  miracles^  have  acted 
in  the  fame  manner^  in  atteflation  of  the  accounts 
which  they  delivered^  and  folely  in  confequence  of 
their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thofe  accounts.* 

A  ENTER  upon  this  parr  of  my  argu- 
ment, by  declaring  how  far  my  belief  in  miraculous 
accounts  goes.  If  the  reformers  in  the  time  of 
WickHff,  or  of  Luther  j  or  thofe  of  England,  in  the 

time 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  185 

time  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  or  of  Qiieen  Mavy ;  or 
the  foun  Icrs  of  our  rehgious  fcfis  fincc,  fuch  as 
were  Mr.  Whitfield  and  Mr.  Wefley  in  our  own 
times,  had  undergone  the  Hfe  of  toil  and  exertion, 
of  danger  and  fuflferings,  which  we  know  that  many 
of  them  did  undergo,  for  a  miraculous  ftory  ;  that 
is  to  fay,  if  they  had  founded  their  public  miniftry 
upon  the  allegation  of  miracles  wrought  within  their 
own  knowledge,  and  upon  narratives  which  could 
not  be  refolved  into  delufion  or  miftake ;  and  if  it 
had  appeared,  that  their  condu6l  really  had  its  origin 
in  thefe  accounts,  I  fhould  have  believed  them.  Or, 
to  borrow  an  inlVance  which  will  be  familiar  to  every 
one  of  my  readers,  if  the  late  Mr.  Howard  had 
undertaken  his  labours  and  journeys  in  atteftation, 
and  in  confequence  of  a  clear  and  fenfible  miracle, 
I  fhould  have  believed  him  alfo.  Or,  to  reprefent 
the  fame  thing  under  a  third  fuppofition  ;  if  Socrates 
had  proFelTed  to  perform  public  miracles  at  Athens ; 
if  the  friends  of  Socrates,  PhoDdo,  Cebes,  Crito,  and 
Simmias,  together  with  Plato,  and  many  of  his  fol- 
lowers, relying  upon  the  atteftadon  thefc  miracles 
alForded  to  his  pretenfions,  had,  at  the  hazard  of 
their  lives,  and  the  certain  expence  of  their  eafe  and 
tranquility,  gone  about  Greece,  after  his  death,  to 
publiih  and  propagate  his  do<ftrines  ;  and  if  ihcfe 
things  had  come  10  our  knowledge,  in  the  fame  way, 
as  that  in  which  the  life  of  Socrates  is  now  tranfmit- 
tcd  to  us,  through  the  hands  of  his  companions  and 
difciples,  that  is  by  writings  received  without  doubt 
as  theirs  from  the  age  in  which  they  were  publiflied 
to  the  prefent,  I  fliould  have  believed  this  likewife. 
And  my  belief  would,  in  each  cafe,  be  much  (Irength- 
cned,  if  the  fubje^l  of  the  niiilion  were  of  import- 
ance to  the  conduift  and  happinefs  of  human  life ;  if 
it  teflified  any  thing  which  it  behoved  mankind  to 
know  from  fuch  authority  j  if  the  nature  of  what  it 

delivered, 


186  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

delivered  required  the  fort  of  proof  which  it  alleged  ; 
if  the  occafion  was  adequate  to  the  interpofition,  the 
end  worthy  of  the  means.  In  the  lafl  cafe  my  faith 
would  be  much  confirmed,  if  the  effe6is  of  the  tranf- 
a£lion  remained  ;  more  efpecially  if  a  change  had  been 
WTOught,  at  the  time,  in  the  opinion  and  condud  of 
fuch  numbers,  as  to  lay  the  foundation  of  an  inftitu- 
tion,  and  of  a  fyflem  of  doctrines,  which  had  fmce 
overipread  the  greateft  part  of  the  civilized  world. 
I  iiiould  have  believed,  I  fay,  the  teftimony  in  thefe 
cafes  ;  yet  none  of  them  do  more  than  come  up  to 
the  apoitolic  hidory. 

If  any  one  choofe  to  call  aiTent  to  this  evidence 
credulity,  it  is  at  leafl:  incum.bent  upon  him  to  pro- 
duce examples,  in  which  the  fame  evidence  hath 
turned  out  to  be  fallacious.  And  this  contains  the 
precife  queftion  which  we  are  now  to  agitate. 

In  flating  the  comparifon  between  our  evidence, 
and  what  our  adverfaries  may  bring  into  competition 
with  ours,  Me  will  divide  the  diftinflions  which  w^e 
wifli  to  propcfe  into  two  kinds,  thofe  which  relate 
to  the  proof,  and  thofe  which  relate  to  the  miraclr,s. 
Under  the  former  head  we  may  lay  out  of  the  cafe  ; 

I.  Such  accounts  of  fupernatural  events,  as  arc 
found  only  in  hifiories,  by  fome  ages  pofterior  to 
the  tranfiidion  ;  arid  of  which  it  is  evident  that  the 
hiftorian  could  know  little  more  than  his  reader. 
Ours  is  contemporary  hillory.  This  difference  alunc 
removes  out  of  our  way,  the  miraculous  hiilory  of 
Pythagoras,  who  lived  five  hundred  years  before  the 
Chriilian  a?ra,  written  by  Porphyrie  and  Jamblicus, 
who  lived  three  hundred  years  after  that  sera ;  the 
prodigies  of  Livy's  hiflory  ;  the  fables  of  the  lieroic 
ages ;  the  whole  of  the  Greek  and  Roman,  as  well  as 
cf  the  Gothic  Mythology  ;  a  great  part  of  the  legen- 
dary hiftory  of  Popifli  faints,  the  very  beft  attefl:ed 
of  which,  is  extniffed  from  the  certificates  that  are 

CKhibitcd 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  1C7 

exhibited  during  the  procefs  of  their  canonization, 
a  cereinony  which  feidom  takes  place  till  a  century 
after  their  deaths.  It  applies  alio  with  confiderable 
force  to  the  miracles  of  .\pollonius  Tyancus,  which. 
are  contained  in  a  folitary  hiftory  of  his  life,  pub- 
lifhed  by  Piiilollratus,  above  a  hundred  years  after 
his  death  ;  and,  in  which,  whether  Philoilratus  had 
any  prior  account  to  guide  him,  depends  upon  his 
finglc,  unfupported  aflertion.  Alfo  to  fome  of  the 
miracles  of  the  third  century,  cfpccially  to  one  ex- 
traordinary inftance,  the  account  of  Gregory,  bifliop 
of  Neocefarea,  called  Thaumaturgus,  delivered  in 
the  writings  of  Gregory  of  NylTrn,  who  lived  one 
hundred  and  thirty  years  after  the  fubjefl  cf  his 
panc-gyric. 

The  value  of  this  circumftancc,  is  fliov/n  to  have 
been  accurately  exemplihcd,  in  the  hiltory  of  Igna- 
tius Loyola,  the  founder  of  the  order  of  jcfuirs*. 
His  life,  written  by  a  companion  of  his,  and  by  one 
of  the  order,  w^s  publifhed  about  fifteen  years  after 
his  death.  In  which  life,  the  author,  fo  far  from 
afcribing  any  miracles  to  I  ^natius,  induftrioufly  ftates 
the  reafcns,  why  he  was  not  inveited  with  any  fuch 
power.  The  life  was  re-pul)li(l"ied  fifteen  years  after- 
wards, with  the  addition  of  many  circumflances, 
which  were  the  fruit,  the  author  lliys,  of  further 
enquiry,  and  of  diligent  examination  ;  but  flill  with 
a  total  filence  about  miracles.  When  lenatius  had 
been  dead  near  fixty  years,  the  Jcfuits  conceiving  a 
wifli  to  have  the  founder  of  their  order  placed  in  the 
Roman  calendar,  began,  as  it  fliould  feem,  for  the 
firit  time,  to  attribute  to  him  a  catalogue  of  miracles, 
which  could  not  then  be  dillinftly  difproved  ;  and 
which,  there  was  in  thofe  who  governed  the  church, 
a  (Irong'difpofition  to  adjnit  upon  theflenderefl  proofs. 

*  Douglas's  Criterion  of  Miracles,  p.  74. 

II.  We 


i88  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

II.  We  may  lay  out  of  the  cafe,  accounts  pub- 
liflied  in  one  country,  of  what  paffed  in  a  diftant 
country,  without  any  proof  that  fuch  accounts  were 
known  or  received  at  home.  In  the  cafe  of  Chrif- 
tianity,  Judcea,  which  was  the  fcene  of  the  tranfac- 
tion,  was  the  centre  of  the  miflion.  The  (lory  was 
puhliflied  in  the  place  in  which  it  was  afted.  The 
church  of  Chrifi:  v/as  firft  planted  at  Jerufalem  itfelf. 
"With  that  church  others  corref;  ended.  From  tliencc 
the  primitive  teachers  of  the  inilimtion  went  forth  ; 
thither  they  aifemblcd.*  The  church  of  Jerufalem, 
and  the  feveral  churches  of  Jud^a,  fubfifted  from 
the  beginning,  and  for  many  ages*,  received  alfo 
the  fame  books,  and  the  fame  accounts,  as  other 
churches  did. 

This  diftinfiion  difpofes,  amongll:  others,  of  the 
above-mentioned  miracles  of  Apollonius  Tyaneus, 
moft  of  which  are  related  to  have  been  performed  in 
India,  no  evidence  remaining  that  either  the  miracles 
afcribed  to  him,  or  the  hiftory  of  thofe  rairacleSj 
were  ever  he;)rd  of  in  India.  Thofe  of  Francis 
Xavier,  the  Indian  milTionary,  with  many  others  of 
the  Romilh  breviary,  are  liable  to  the  fame  objec- 
tion, viz.  that  the  accounts  of  tliem  v/ere  publiilied 
at  a  vail:  diftance  from  the  fuppofed  fcene  of  the 
wonders  f. 

III.  We  lay  out  of  the  cafe  i ran/tent  rumours. 
Upon  the  firit  publication  of  an  extraordinary  ac- 
count, or  even  of  an  article  of  ordinary  intelligence, 
no  one,  who  is  not  perfonally  acquainted  with  the 
tranfa6iion,  can  know  whether  it  be  true  or  falfe, 
becaufe  any  man  may  publiih  any  (lory.    It  is  in  the 

*  The  fucceflloa  of  many  eminent  bifhops  of  Jerufalem,  in 
the  three  firft  centuries,  is  diftindly  preferved,  as  Alexander, 
A.  D,  2  12,  who  fucceeded  NarcifTus,  then  ii6  years  old. 

t  Doug.  Crit.  p.  84. 

future 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  189 

future  confirmation,  or  contradiftion  of  the  account; 
in  its  permanency,  or  its  difappearance ;  its  dying 
away  into  filcnce,  or  its  increafmg  in  notoriety  ;  its 
being  followed  up  by  fubfequcnt  accounts,  and  be- 
ing repeated  in  different  and  independent  accounts, 
that  folid  truth  is  diftinguiflicd  from  fugitive  lies. 
This  diflin^tion  is  altoc^ether  on  the  fide  of  Chrifti- 
anity.  The  ftory  did  not  drop.  On  the  contrary, 
it  was  fucceeded  by  a  train  of  actions  and  events  de- 
pendent upon  it.  The  accounts,  which  we  have  in 
our  hands,  were  compofed  after  the  firfl  reports, 
mufl:  have  fubfided.  They  were  followed  by  a  train 
of  writings  upon  the  fubje^t.  The  hiflorical  tef- 
timonies  of  the  tranfa<5lion  were  many  and  various, 
and  connected  with  letters,  difcourles,  controver- 
fies,  apologies,  fucceilively  produced  by  the  fame 
tranfaftion. 

IV.  We  may  lay  out  of  the  cafe  what  I  call  naked 
hiftory.  It  has  been  faid,  that  if  the  prodigies  of 
the  Jewifh  hiftory  had  been  found  only  in  fragments 
of  Manetho,  or  Berofus,  we  iliould  have  paid  no 
regard  to  them  :  and  I  am  willing  to  admit  this.  If 
we  knew  nothing  of  the  fa£l:,  but  from  the  fragment ; 
if  we  polTcffed  no  proof  that  thefe  accounts  had  been 
credited  and  acted  upon,  from  times,  probably,  as 
ancient  as  the  accounts  themfelves ;  if  we  had  no 
vifible  cffe£ls  connefted  with  the  hiflory,  no  fubfe- 
quent  or  collateral  teftimony  to  confirm  it ;  under 
thefe  circumftances,  I  think  that  it  would  be  unde- 
ferving  of  credit.  But  this  certainly  is  not  our  cafe. 
In  appreciating  the  evidence  of  Ciiriilianity,  the 
books  are  to  be  combined  with  the  inftitution  ;  v.itli 
the  prevalency  of  the  religion  at  this  day  ;  with  the 
time  and  place  of  its  origin,  which  are  acknowledged 
points  ;  with  the  circtim.flances  of  its  rife  and  pro- 
grefs,  as  col!ec):ed  from  external  hiifory ;  with  the 
fa<n:  of  our  prefcnt  bool:s  being  recjivcd  bv  the  vo- 

larics 


ipo  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

taries  of  the  inftitmion  from  the  beginning ;  with 
ihat  of  other  books  coming  aftrr  thefe,  filled  with 
accounts  of  the  effects  and  conferoenccs  refuhing 
from  the  tranf.i6lion,  or  referring  ro  the  tranfaelion, 
or  built  upon  it  ;  laftly,  with  the  confideraiion  of 
the  number  and  variety  of  the  books  themfelves, 
the  different  writers  from  which  they  proceed,  the 
different  views  with  which  they  were  written,  fo 
difagreeing,  as  to  repel  the  fufpicion  of  confederacy, 
fo  agreeing,  as  to  fliow  that  they  were  founded  in  a 
common  original,  /.  e.  in  a  ftory  fubllantially  the 
fame.  Whether  this  proof  be  fatisfaclory  or  not,  it 
is  properly  a  cumulation  of  evidence,  by  no  means  a 
naked  or  folitary  record. 

V.  A  mark  of  hiftorical  truth,  aUhough  only  in 
a  certain  way,  and  to  a  certain  degree,  is  particularity 
in  names,  dates,  places,  circumftances,  and  in  the 
order  of  events  preceding  or  following  the  tranfac- 
tion  :  of  which  kind,  for  inifance,  is  the  particula- 
rity in  the  defcription  of  St.  Paul's  voyage  and  fhip- 
wreck  in  the  27th  chapter  of  the  a6ls,  which  no 
man,  I  think,  can  read  without  being  convinced 
that  the  writer  was  there  ;  and  alfo  in  the  account 
of  the  cure  and  examination  of  the  blind  man,  in 
the  ninth  chapter  of  St.  John's  gofpel,  which  bears 
every  mark  of  perfonal  knowledge  on  the  part  of 
the  hiftorian*.  I  do  not  deny  that  fi(Slion  has  often 
the  particularity  of  truth  ;  but  then  it  is  of  ftudied 
and  elaborate  fiction,  or  of  a  formal  attempt  to  de- 
ceive, that  we  obferve  this.  Since,  however,  ex- 
r^crience  proves  that  particularity  is  not  confined  to 
truth,  I  have  ftated  that  it  is  a  proof  of  truth,  only 
to  a  certain  extent,  /.  c.  it  reduces  the  quePiion  to 
this,  v/hether  we  can  depend  or  not  upon  the  probity 

*■  Both  thefe  chapters  ought  to  be  read  for  the  fake  of  this 
very  ■■bfcrva'icni. 

'  "of 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  uji 

of  the  relator  ;  'vhich  is  a  confiJerable  advance  in 
our  pp.fcnt  arc^uni'-^nt,  for  an  exprcfs  attempt  to  de- 
ceiver, in  which  cafe  alone  particularity  can  appear, 
witiiout  tru:b,  is  charged  upon  the  cvangelifts  by 
few.  If  the  hidorian  acknowledge  himfelf  to  have 
received  his  intelligence  from  others,  the  particula- 
rity of  the  narrative  fliows,  prima  facie,  the  accuracy 
of  his  enquiries,  and  the  fulneis  of  his  information. 
This  remark  belongs  to  Sr.  Luke's  hidory.  Of  the 
particularity  vliich  we  allege,  many  examples  may 
be  found  in  all  the  gofnejs.  And  it  is  very  difficult 
ti.  onceive,  that  fiich  numerous  particularities,  as 
arc  almofl:  every  where  to  be  met  with  in  the  fcrip- 
turc£,  '.'--.Guld  be  railed  oat  of  the  imagination  with- 
out any  f.'ft  to  go  upon*. 

It  is  to  be  remarked,  however,  that  this  particu- 
larity is  only  to  be  looked  for  in  direct  hidory.  It 
is  not  natural  in- rs. Terences  or  allufions,  which  yet, 
in  other  refpefts,  afford  often,  as  far  as  they  go, 
the  molt  unfufpicious  evidence. 

VI.  Wc  lay  out  of  the  cafe  fuch  (lories  of  fuper- 
natural  events,  as  require,  on  the  part  of  the  hearer, 
nothing  more  than  an  otio/e  affent ;  ftories  upon 
which  nothing  depends,  in  which  no  intereft  is  in- 
volved, nothing  is  to  be  done  or  changed  in  confc- 

*  *  There  is  always  fome  trudi  where  there  are  confiderable 

*  particularities  related ;  and  they  always  leem  to  bear  fome 

*  proportion  to  one  anodier.  Thus  diere  is  a  great  want  of 
'  the  particulars,   of  time,  place,  and  perfons,  in  Manetho's 

*  account  of  t)!e  Egvpri.m  Dynallie^,  Etefias's  of  the  Alfyrian 
'  Kings,  and  thofe  which  the  tecliuical  c'lronologers  have  given 

*  of  the  ancient  kingJoms  of  Greece;  and  agreeably  thereto, 

*  thcfc  accounts  have  much  fiiftion  iuid  falftjhood,  witli  f  )me 
'  truth :  whereas  Tluicydidcs's  Hiflory  of  the  Pcloponnefian 
'  War,  and  Csfar's  of  the  War  in  G;:ul,  in  both  which  die 
'  particulars  of  time,  place,  and  perfons  are  mentioned,  are 
'  univerfally  efteemcd  true  to  a  great  degree  of  exactncis,* 
Hartley,  Vol.  II.  p.  loy. 

qucns? 


igz  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

quence  of  believing  them.  Such  flories  are  credited, 
if  the  carelcfs  affent  that  is  given  to  them  deferve 
-that  name,  more  by  the  indolence  of  the  hearer, 
than  by  his  judgment ;  or,  though  not  much  cre- 
dited, are  pafled  from  one  to  another  without  en- 
quiry or  refiftance.  To  this  cafe,  and  to  this  cafe 
alone,  belongs  what  is  called  the  love  of  the  marvel- 
lous. I  have  never  known  it  carry  men  further. 
Men  do  not  fufFer  perfecution  from  the  love  of  the 
marvellous.  Of  the  indifferent  nature ^ve  are  fpeak- 
ing  of,  are  moft  vulgar  errors  and  popular  fuperfti- 
tions  :  moft,  for  inftance,  of  the  current  reports  of 
apparitions.  Nothing  depends  upon  their  being  true 
or  falfe.  But  not,  furely,  of  this  kind  were  the 
alleged  miracles  of  Chrift  and  his  apoflles.  They 
decided,  if  true,  the  mod  important  queftion,  upon 
which  the  human  mind  can  fix  its  anxiety.  They 
claimed  to  rec^ulate  the  opinions  of  mankind,  upon 
fubje^ts  in  which  they  are  not  only  deeply  concerned, 
but  ufually  refradory  and  obftinate.  Men  could  not 
be  utterly  carelcfs  in  fuch  a  cafe  as  this.  If  a  Jew 
took  up  the  ftory,  he  found  his  darling  partiality  to 
his  own  nation  and  law  wounded  ;  if  a  Gentile,  he 
found  his  idolatry  and  polytheifm  reprobated  and 
condemned.  Whoever  entertained  the  account, 
whether  Jew  or  Gentile,  could  not  avoid  the  fol- 
Icv.ing  reflection  : — '  If  thefe  things  be  true,  I  mufl 
'  give  up  the  opinions  and  principles  in  which  I  have 
'  been  brought  up,  the  religion  in  which  my  fathers 
■^  !»ved  and  died.'  It  is  not  conceivable  that  a  man 
fliould  do  this  upon  any  idle  report  or  frivolous  ac- 
count, or,  indeed,  without  being  fully  fatisfied  and 
convinced  of  the  truth  and  credibility  of  the  narra- 
tive to  which  he  trulled.  But  it  did  not  ftop  at  opi- 
nions. They  who  believed  Chriilianity,  a£i:ed  upon 
it.  Many  made  it  the  exprefs  bufinefs  of  their  lives 
to  ptibiiili  the  inteliigence.  It  was  required  of  thofe, 
2  who 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  193 

who  admitted  that  intdlic^ence,  to  chancre  forthwith 
their  condufl'  and  their  principles,  to  take  up  a  dif- 
ferent courfe  of  li'e,  to  part  with  their  habits  and 
gratifications,  and  be^n  a  new  fet  of  rules  and  fyf- 
teiTi  of  behaviour.  The  apoflles,  at  lead,  were  in- 
terefted  not  to  facrifix  their  eafe,  their  fortunes, 
and  their  lives,  for  an  idle  tale  ;  multitudes  befide 
thetn  were  induced,  by  the  fame  talc,  to  encounter 
oppofiiion,  danger  and  fuHTerings. 

If  it  be  faid,  that  the  mere  promife  of  a  future 
ftate  would  do  all  this,  1  anfwer,  that  the  mere  pro- 
mife of  a  future  ftate,  without  any  evidence  to  give 
ere  lit  or  ailurance  to  it,  would  do  nothing.  A  few 
wandering  fiflicrmen  talkin?T  of  a  rcfurre^ftion  of  the 
dead  could  produce  no  effe^V.  If  it  be  further  faid, 
that  men  eafily  believe,  what  they  anxioufly  defire, 
I  again  anfwer  that,  in  my  opinion,  the  very  con- 
trary of  this  is  nearer  t»  the  trurh.  Anxiety  of  defire, 
earneftnefs  of  expectation,  the  vaftnefs  of  an  event, 
rather  caufes  men  to  difbelieve,  to  doubt,  to  dread 
a  fallacy,  to  diftruft,  and  to  examine.  When  our 
Lord's  refurreftion  was  firft  reported  to  the  apoftles, 
they  did  n  it  believe,  we  are  told,  for  joy.  This 
was  natural,  and  is  agreeable  to  experience. 

VH.  We  have  laid  out  of  the  cafe  thofe  accounts, 
which  require  no  more  than  a  fmiple  affent ;  and  we 
novv'  alfo  lay  out  of  the  cafe  thofe  which  come  merely 
in  njjirmance  of  opinions  already  formed.  This  lalt 
circumftance  it  is  of  the  utraoft  importance  to  notice 
well.  It  has  \ox\'y  been  obferved,  that  Popilh  mira- 
cles happen  in  Popifli  c  ountries  ;  that  they  make  no 
converts  ;  which  proves  that  flories  are  accepted, 
when  they  fail  in  with  principles  already  fixed,  with 
the  public  fentiments,  or  with  the  fenriments  of  a 
party  already  ent3;a<^ed  on  the  fide  the  miracle  fup- 
ports,  whicii  would  not  be  attempted  to  be  produced 
ia  the  face  of  enemies,  in  oppofition  to  reigning 

O  tenets 


194  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

tenets  or  favonrire  prejudices,  or  when,  if  tbey  be 
believed,  the  belief  mud  draw  men  away  from  their 
preconceived  and  habitual  opinions,  from  their  modes 
of  life  and  rules  of  aftion.  In  the  former  cafe,  men 
may  not  only  receive  a  miraculous  account,  but  may 
both  act  and  fufFer  on  the  fide,  and  in  the  caufe, 
which  the  miracle  fupports,  yet  not  aft  or  fuflPer/or 
the  miracle,  but  in  purfuance  of  a  prior  perfuafion. 
The  miracle,  like  any  other  argument  which  only 
confirms  what  was  before  believed,  is  admitted  with 
little  examination.  In  the  moral,  as  in  the  natural 
world,  it  is  change  which  requires  a  caufe.  Men  are 
eafily  fortified  in  their  old  opinions,  driven  from 
them  with  great  difficulty.  Now,  how  does  this 
apply  to  the  Chriflian  hiffory  ?  The  miracles,  there 
recorded,  were  wrought  in  the  midfl  of  enemies, 
under  a  government,  a  priefthood,  and  a  magiftracy, 
decidedly  and  vehemently  adverfe  to  them,  and  to 
the  pret!^nfions  which  they  fupported.  They  were 
Proteilant  miracles  in  a  Popiili  country  ;  they  were 
Popilh  miracles  in  the  midft  cf  Proteftants.  They 
p-roduced  a  change  ;  they  eflabliflied  a  fociety  upon 
the  fpot  adhering  to  the  belief  of  them  ;  they  made 
converts,  and  thofe  who  were  converted,  gave  up 
to  the  tcflimony,  their  mofl  fixed  opinions,  and  molt 
favourite  prejudices.  They  who  afted  and  fufTered 
in  the  caufe,  aded  and  fuf^'ered  for  the  miracles  ; 
for  there  was  no  anterior  perfuafion  to  induce  them, 
no  prior  reverence,  prejudice,  or  partiality,  to  take 
hold  of.  Jefus  had  not  one  follower  when  he  fer 
up  his  claim.  His  miracles  gave  birth  to  his  feft. 
No  part  of  this  dcfcription  belongs  to  the  ordinary 
evidence  of  heathen  or  Popifh  miracles.  Even  mofl 
of  the  miracles  alleged  to  have  been  performed  by 
Chriflians,  in  the  fcxond  and  third  century  of  its 
ara,  want  this  confirmation.  It  c6nffitutes  indeed 
a,  line  of  partition  between  the  origin  and  the  pro- 

grefs 


F.VIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  195 

grefs  of  Chriftianity.  Frauds  and  fallacies  might 
mix  theinfelves  with  the  progrefs,  which  could  not 
poilihly  rake  place  in  the  commencement  of  the  reli- 
gion ;  at  lead  according  to  any  laws  of  human  con- 
duft  that  we  are  acquainted  with.  What  ihoulJ 
fugged  to  the  firfl  propagators  of  Chriflianity,  cfpe- 
cially  to  fiihcrmen,  tax-gatherers,  and  hulbandmen, 
fuch  a  thought  as  that  of  changing  the  religion  of 
the  world  ;  what  could  bear  them  through  ihe  diffi- 
culties, in  which  the  attempt  engaged  them  ;  v  hat 
could  procure  any  degree  of  fucccfs  to  the  aittmpt  ; 
are  qucllions  which  apply,  with  great  force,  to  the 
fetting  out  of  the  inftitution,  with  lefs,  to  every  fu- 
ture ftage  of  it. 

To  hear  fome  men  talk,  one  would  fuppofe  the  fet- 
ting up  of  a  religion  by  miracles  to  be  a  thing  of  every 
day's  experience,  whereas  the  wliole  current  of  hif- 
tory  is  againfl:  it.  Hath  any  foun^'er  of  a  new  fe£l: 
amongft  Chriftians  pretended  to  miraculous  powers, 
and  fucceeded  by  his  prctenfions  ?  '  Were  thefe  pow- 
'  ers  claimed  or  excrcifed  by  the  founders  of  the  fe6ts 
'  of  the  Waldcnfcs  and  Albigenfes  ?  Did  Wickliff  in 
*  England  pretend  to  it  ?  Did  Elufs  or  Jerome  in  Bo- 
'  hemia  ?  Did  Luther  in  Germany,  Zuinglius  in  Swit- 
'  zerland,  Calvin  in  France,  or  any  of  the  reformers 
'  advance  this  plea  *  ?'  The  French  prophets,  in 
the  beginning  of  the  prcfent  century,  ventured  to 
allege  miraculous  evidence,  and  immediately  ruined 
their  caufe  by  their  temerity.  *  Concerning  the  re- 
'  ligion  of  Ancient  Rome,  of  Turkey,  of  ISiam,  of 
'  China,  a  fingle  miracle  cannot  be  named,  thar  was 
'  ever  offered  as  a  teft  of  any  of  thofe  religions  before 
'  their  ellablilhment  |.' 

We  may  add  to  what  has  been  obfcrve^^,  of  the 
diilinftion  which  we  are  confidering,  that,  where  rai- 

*  Campbell  on  Miracles,  p.  120,  ed.  176^ 
f  Adams  on  ditto,  p.  75. 

O  2  racles 


tg6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

racles  are  alleged  merely  in  affirmance  of  a  prior  opi- 
nion, they  who  believe  the  doctrine  may  fometimes 
propagate  a  belief  of  the  miracles  which  they  do  not 
themfelves  entertain.  This  is  the  cafe  of  what  are 
cdWcd  pious  frauds;  but  it  is  a  cafe,  I  apprehend, 
which  takes  place  folely  in  fupport  of  a  perfuafion 
already  eflabliUied.  At  Icaft  it  does  not  hold  of  the 
apoftolical  hiftory.  If  the  apoftles  did  not  believe 
the  miracles,  they  did  not  believe  the  religion  ;  and, 
without  this  belief,  where  was  the  piety,  what  place 
was  there  for  any  thing,  which  could  bear  the  name 
or  colour  of  piety,  in  publiiliing  and  attefling  mira- 
cles in  its  behalf?  If  it  be  faid  that  many  promote 
the  belief  of  revelation,  and  of  any  accounts  which 
favour  that  belief,  becaufe  they  think  them,  whether 
well  or  ill  founded,  of  public  and  political  utility,  I 
anfwer,  that  if  a  character  exifl,  which  can  with  lefs 
juftice  than  another  be  afcribed  to  the  founders  of 
the  Chriflian  religion,  it  is  that  of  politicians,  or  of 
men  capable  of  entertaining  political  views.  The 
truth  is,  that  there  is  no  affignable  charafter  which 
will  account  for  the  conduft  of  the  apoftles,  fup- 
pofmg  their  flory  to  be  falfe.  If  bad  men,  what 
could  induce  them  to  take  fuch  pains  to  promote 
virtue  ?  If  good  men,  they  would  not  have  gone 
about  the  country  with  a  firing  of  lies  in  their 
mouths  ? 

In  APPRECIATING  the  credit  of  any  miraculous 
flory,  thefe  are  diiiinclions  which  relate  to  the  evi- 
dence. There  are  other  diftinftions  of  great  mo- 
ment in,  the  queilion,  which  relate  to  the  miracles 
themfelves.  Of  which  latter  kind  the  following 
ought  carefully  to  be  retained. 

1.  It  is  not  necelTary  to  admit  as  a  miracle,  what 
can  be  rcfolved  into  a  falfe  perception.  Of  this  na- 
ture was  the  demon  of  Socrates  ;  the  vifions  of  St. 
Anthony,   and  of  many  others  j    the  vifion  which 

Lord 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  197  * 

Lord  Herbert  of  Cherbury  defcribes  himfclf  to  have 
feen  ;  Colonel  Gardner's  vifion,  as  related  in  his  life, 
written  by  Dr.  Doddridge.  All  thcfe  may  be  ac- 
counted for  by  a  momentary  infanity  ;  for  the  cha« 
raderillic  fymptom  of  human  madnefs  is  the  rifmg 
up  in  the  mind  of  images  not  diitinguifliable  by  the 
patient  from  impreilions  upon  the  fenfes  *.  The 
cafes,  however,  in  which  the  poffibility  of  this  de- 
lufion  exiils,  are  divided  from  the  cafes  in  which  it 
does  not  exift,  by  many,  and  thofe  not  obfcure 
marks.  They  are,  for  the  mod  part,  cafes  of  vifions 
or  voices.  The  obje(^  is  hardly  ever  touched.  The 
vifion  fubmits  not  10  be  handled.  One  fenfe  does 
not  confirm  another.  They  are  likewife  almoft 
always  cafes  oi  ^xfolitary  witnefs.  It  is  in  the  high- 
efl:  degree  improbable,  and  I  know  not,  indeed, 
whether  it  hath  ever  been  the  fa«n:,  that  the  (ame 
derangement  of  the  mental  organs  fiiould  feize  dif- 
ferent perfoHS  at  the  faix-e  time ;  a  derangement,  I 
mean,  {o  much  the  fame,  as  to  reprefent  to  their 
imagination  the  fame  obje61s.  Laftly,  thefe  are 
always  cafes  of  fiionientary  miracles ;  by  which  term 
I  mean  to  denote  miracles,  of  which  the  whole  ex- 
igence is  of  a  ihort  duration,  in  contradillinftion  to 
miracles  which  are  attended  with  permanent  effects. 
The  appearance  of  a  fpeftre,  the  hearing  of  a  fu- 
pernatural  found,  is  a  momentary  miracle.  The 
fenfible  proof  is  gone  when  the  apparition  or  found 
is  over.  But  if  a  perfon  born  blind  be  redored  to 
fight,  a  notorious  cripple  to  the  ufe  of  his  limbs, 
or  a  dead  man  to  lite,  here  is  a  permanent  effect 
produced  by  fnpernatural  means.  The  change  in- 
deed was  indantaneous,  but  the  proof  continues. 
The  fubjeft  of  the  miracle  remains.  The  man  cured 
or   redored    is    there :    his    former    condition    was 

'  *  Baity  on  liunaiy. 

O  3  known, 


ipS  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

known,  and  his  prefent  condition  may  be  examined. 
This  can  by  no  polTibility  be  rcfoived  into  faife  per- 
ception :  and  of  this  kind  are  by  far  the  greater  part 
of  the  miracles  recorded  in  the  New  Teftam^nt. 
When  Lazarus  was  raifed  from  the  dead,  he  did 
not  merely  move,  and  fpeak,  and  die  again  ;  or  come 
out  of  the  grave  and  vanifli  away.  He  returned 
to  his  home  and  his'  family,  and  there  continued  ; 
for  we  find  him,  fome  time  afterwards,  in  the  fame 
town,  fitting  at  table  with  Jefus  and  his  fifters ;  vi- 
lited  by  great  multitudes  of  the  Jews,  as  a  fu'>jeft 
of  curiofity  ;  giving,  by  his  prefcnce,  fo  much  nnea- 
finefs  to  the  Jewiih  rulers,  as  to  beget  in  them  a 
defign  of  deltroying  him  *.  No  delufion  can  ac- 
count for  this.  Ihe  French  prophets  In  England, 
lorae  time  fince,  gave  out  that  one  of  their  teachers 
would  come  to  life  again,  but  their  enthufrafm 
never  made  them  believe  that  they  affually  faw  him 
alive.  The  blind  man,  whofe  reftoration  to  fight 
at  Jerufalem  is  recorded  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  St. 
John's  gofpel,  did  not  quit  the  place,  or  conceal 
himfelf  from  enquiry.  On  the  contrary,  he  was 
forthcoming,  to  anfwer  the  call,  to  fatlsfy  the  fcru- 
riny,  and  to  fuftain  the  brow-beating  of  Chrifl's 
ungry  and  powerful  enemies.  When  the  cripple 
at  the  gate  of  the  temple  was  fuddenly  cured  by 
Peter -j-,  he  did  not  immediately  relapfe  into  his 
former  lamenefs,  or  difappear  out  of  the  city ; 
but  boldly  and  honcftly  produced  himfelf  along 
with  the  apofiles,  when  they  were  brought  the 
next  day  before  the  Jewifh  council  J.  Here,  though 
the  miracle  was  fudden,  the  proof  was  perma- 
nent. The  lamenefs  had  been  notorious,  the 
cure  continued.  This,  therefore,  could  not  be  the 
eifeff  of  any  momentary  delirium,  either  in  the  fub- 

*  John  xii.  i,  2.  9,  10.  f  Ads  iii.  2.         i  lb.  iv.  14. 

je.% 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ipy 

jecl  or  in  tlie  wirnelTes  of  the  tranfuflicn.  It  is  the 
fame  with  the  grratelt  number  of  the  fcripture  mi- 
racles. There  are  other  cafes  of  a  mixed  nature, 
in  which,  althouu^h  the  principal  miracle  be  mo- 
mentary, f  )me  circumftance  co.nbincd  with  it  is  per- 
manent. Of  this  kind  is  the  hiftory  of  St.  Paul's 
convcrfion  *.  The  fudden  light  and  found,  the  vi- 
fion  and  the  voice,  upon  the  road  to  Damafcus, 
were  momentary  ;  but  Paul's  blindnefs  for  three 
days  in  confequcncc  of  what  had  happened  ;  the 
communication  made  to  Ananias  in  another  place, 
and  by  a  vifion  independent  of  the  former ;  Ana- 
nias finding  our  Paul  in  confcquence  of  intelligence  fo 
received  ;  and  ilnding  him  in  the  condition  defcrib- 
ed,  and  Paul's  recovery  of  his  fight  upon  Ananias 
laying  his  hands  upon  him  ;  are  circumftances  which 
take  the  tranfaction,  and  the  principal  miracle  as  in- 
cluded in  it,  entirely  out  of  the  cafe  of  momentary 
miracles,  or  of  Inch  as*  may  be  accounted  for  by 
falfe  perceptions.  Exactly  the  fame  thing  may  be 
obferved  of  Peter's  vifion  preparatory  to  the  call  of 
Cornelius,  and  of  its  conne<5lion  with  what  was  im- 
parted in  a  diilaut  place  to  Cornelius  himfeif,  and 
with  the  meflage  difpatched  by  Cornelius  to  Peter. 
The  vifion  might  be  a  dream,  the  meiTage  could 
not.  Either  communication,  taken  feparately,  might 
be  a  delufion  ;  the  concurreuce  of  the  two  was  im- 
poflible  to  happen  v/ithout  a  fupernatural  caufe. 

Befide  the  riJk  of  delufion,  which  attaches  upon 
momentary  miracles,  there  is  alfo  much  more  room  for 
inipoPjure.  The  account  cannot  be  examined  at  the 
moment.  And,  when  that  is  alfo  a  moment  of  hurry 
and  confufion,  it  may  not  be  difHcult  for  men  of 
influence  to  gain  credit  to  any  lT:ory,  which  they  may 
v»'ilh  :o  liav::  believed.     Thi;.  is  precifely  the  cafe  of 

*  Ads  ix. 
O  4  one 


20®  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

one  of  the  bed  atttfrrd  miracles  cf  old  Rome,  the 
appearance  of  Caftor  anii  Pollux  in  the  battle  fought 
by  Poflhumius  with  the  Latins  at  the  lake  Regillus. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  Pofthumius,  after  the  battle, 
fpread  the  report  of  fuch  an  appearance.  No  perfon 
could  deny  it,  whilfl:  it  was  faid  to  laft.  No  perfon, 
perhaps,  had  any  inclination  to  difpute  it  afterwards; 
or,  if  they  had,  could  fay  with  pofitivenefs,  what 
was,  or  what  was  not  feen,  by  fome  or  other  of  the 
army,  in  the  difmay,  and  amidft  the  tumult  of  a 
battle. 

In  alTigning  falfe  perceptions,  as  the  origin  to 
which  fome  miraculous  accounts  may  be  referred,  I 
have  not  mentioned  claims  to  infpiraiion,  illumina- 
tions, fecret  notices  or  directions,  internal  fenfations, 
or  confcioufneiTes  of  being  ac^ed  upon  by  fpiritual 
influences,  good  or  bad,  becaufe,  thefe  appealing  to 
no  external  proof,  however  convincing  they  may  be 
to  the  perfons  themfelves,  form  no  part  of  what  can 
be  accounted  miraculous  evidence.  Their  own  cre- 
dibility ftands  upon  their  alliance  with  other  miracles. 
The  difculTion,  therefore,  of  all  fuch  pretenfions  may 
be  omitted. 

II.  It  is  not  neceflary  to  bring  into  the  comparifon 
what  may  be  called  tentative  miracles;  that  is,  where, 
out  of  a  great  number  of  trials,  fome  fucceed,  and  in 
the  accounts  of  which,  although  the  narrative  of  the 
fuccefsful  cafes  be  alone  preferved,  and  that  of  the 
unfuccefsful  cafes  funk,  yet  enough  is  ffated  to  fhow 
that  the  cafes  produced  are  only  a  few  out  of  many 
in  which  the  fame  means  have  been  employed. 
This  obfervaiion  bears,  with  confiderable  force,  upon 
the  ancient  oracles  and  auguries,  in  which  a  fingie 
coincidence  of  the  event  with  the  prediction  is  talked 
of  and  magnified,  whilrt  failures  are  forgotten,  or 
fupprefied,  or  accounted  for.  It  is  alfo  applicable  to 
the  cures  wrought  by  relics,  and  at  the  tombs  of 

faints. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  201 

faints.  The  boafted  efficacy  of  the  king's  touch, 
upon  which  Mr.  Hume  lays  fome  (Irefs,  fails  under 
the  fame  deftription.  Notliing  is  alleged  concern- 
inoj  it,  which  is  not  alleged  of  various  nollrums, 
namely,  out  of  many  thouf^inds  who  have  ufed  them, 
certified  proofs  of  a  few  who  have  recovered  after  them. 
No  folurion  of  this  fort  is  applicable  to  the  miracles  of 
the  gofpel.  There  is  nothing  in  the  narrative  which 
can  induce,  or  even  allow,  us  to  believe,  that  Chrifl: 
attempted  cu'-es  in  many  inftances  and  fucceeded  in 
;i  few;  or  that  he  ever  made  the  attempt  in  vain. 
He  did  not  profefs  to  heal  every  where  all  that  were 
fick  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  told  the  Jews,  evidently 
meaning  to  reprtf^nt  his  own  cafe,  that  '  although 
'  many  widows  were  in  Ifra.l  in  the  days  of  Elias, 

*  when  the  heaven  was  fliut  up  three  years  and  fix 
'  months,  when  great  famine  was  throughout  all  ib.e 

*  land,  yet  unto  none  of  them  was  Elias  fent,  l^wc 
'  unto  Sarepta,  a  city  of  Sidon,  unto  a  woman  that 

*  was  a   widow:'  and  that   '  many   lepers   were  in 

*  Ifrael  in  the  time  of  Ftifcus  the  prophet,  and  none 
'  of  them  WIS  cleanfcd  faving  Naaman  the  Syrian*.* 
By  which  examples  he  gave  them  to  undcriland, 
that  ir  was  not  the  nature  of  a  divine  interpofition, 
or  neceffary  to  its  purpofe,  to  be  general;  ftill  lefs, 
to  anfwcr  every  challenge  that  might  be  made,  which 
would  teach  men  to  put  htir  faith  upon  thefe  expe- 
riments. Chrift  never  pronounced  the  word  but  the 
efFeft  followed*.     It  was  not  a  thoufand  fick  that 


*   Luke  iv.  25. 

f  One,  and  only  one,  inftance  may  be  produced  in  which 
the  uifdpls  of  Chrill  do  leeni  to  h;ive  attempted  a  cure,  and 
not  to  have  been  able  to  peribrm  it.  The  llury  is  very  ingc- 
nuoully  and  candidly  related  by  three  of  the  ev;ingclilts +. 
The  patient  was  afterwards  healed  by  Chrift  himfelf;  and  the 

\  Mat   xvii,  16.      Mark  ix,  l*".      Luke  ix.  40. 

whola 


2C2  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

received  his  benedi£lion,  and  a  few  that  were  bene- 
fitted: a  fmgle  paralytic  is  let  down  in  his  bed  at 
Jefus's  feet,  in  the  midll  oF  a  farrounding  multitude; 
Jcfus  bid  him  walk  and  he  did  fo*.  A  man  with  a 
withered  hand  is  in  the  fynagogue,  Jefus  bid  him 
ftretch  forth  his  hand,  in  the  prefence  of  the  alTem- 
bly,  and  it  was  '  reftored  whole  like  the  other  f . 
There  was  nothing  tentative  in  thefe  cures;  nothing 
that  can  be  explained  by  the  power  of  accident. 

We  may  obferve  alfo,  that  many  of  the  cures 
which  Chrift  wrought,  fuch  as  that  of  a  perfon  blind 
from  his  birth,  alfo  ra^ny  miracles  befide  cures,  as 
raifmg  the  dead,  walking  upon  the  fea,  feeding  a 
great  multitude  with  a  few  loaves  and  fiilies,  are  of 
a  nature  which  does  not  in  any  wife  admit  of  the 
fiippofition  of  a  fortunate  experiment. 

lil.  We  may  diAnifs  from  the  quedion  all  ac- 
counts in  which,  allowing  the  phenomenon  to  be 
real,  the  faft  to  be  true,  it  ftill  remains  doubtful 
v/hether  a  miracle  were  wrought.  Tiiis  is  the  cafe 
with  the  ancient  hiilory  o^^  what  is  called  the  thun- 
dering legion,  of  the  extraordinary  circumftances 
which  ob{l:ru6i:ed  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple  at 
jerufalem  by  Juli.in,  the  circling  of  the  flames  and 
"fragrant  fmell  at  the  martyrdom  of  Polycarp,  the 
fudden  fliower  that  extinguiflied  the  fire  into  wiiich 
the  fcriptures  were  thrown  in  the  Diocletian  perfe- 
cution;  Conflantine's  dream,  his  infcribing  in  con- 
fequence  of  it  the  crofs  upon  his  itandard  and  the 
fiiields  of  his  foldiers ;  his  vi<rtorv,  and  the  efcape  of 
the  ftandard-bearer;  perhaps  alfo  the  imagined  ap- 

whole  tranfaction  feeras  to  have  been  intended,  as  it  was  well 
iVitted,  to  difplay  the  fuperiority  t^f  Chrift  above  all  who  per- 
f  )rmed  miracles  in  his  name  ;  a  dirtintflicn  wliich,  during  hh 
prefence  in  the  world,  it  miglit  be  neceiTary  to  inculcate  by 
feme  fuch  proof  as  this. 

*  Mark  ii.  3.  f  Mat.  xii.   10. 

pearance 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  103 

pearance  of  the  crofs  in  the  heavens,  though  this 
laft  circumftance  is  very  deficient  in  hifloriral  evi- 
dence. It  is  alfo  the  cafe  with  the  modern  annual 
exhibition  of  the  iiquif.iclion  of  the  blood  of  St. 
Javiuarius  at  Naples.  It  is  a  doubt  likewife,  which 
ouQ[ht  to  be  excluded  by  very  fpecial  circumilances, 
from  th'ffc  narratives  which  relate  10  the  fuperna- 
tural  cure  of  hypochondriacal  and  nervous  com- 
plaints, and  of  all  difeafes  which  are  much  alTefted 
by  the  imagination.  The  miracles  of  the  fecond  and 
third  century  are,  ufuaily  healing  the  fick,  and 
calling  out  evil  fpirits,  miracles  in  which  there  is 
room  for  fome  error  and  deception.  Wc  hear 
nothing  of  caufing  the  blind  to  fee,  the  lame  to 
walk,  the  deaf  to  hear,  the  lepers  to  be  cleanfed*. 
There  are  alfo  inftances  in  Chriflian  writers  of  re- 
puted miracles,  which  were  natural  operations, 
the  Ui^h  not  known  to  be  fuch  at  the  time,  as  that  of 
articulate  fpcech  after  the  lofs  of  a  great  part  of 
the  rongue. 

ly.  'Vo  the  fame  head  of  objeftion  nearly,  may 
alfo  be  referred  accounts,  in  which  the  variation  of 
a  final!  cirrumftauce  may  have  transformed  fome 
extraordinary  appearance,  or  fome  critical  coinci- 
dence of  events,  into  a  miracle;  (lories,  in  a  word, 
which  may  be  rcfolved  into  exaggeration.  The 
mirncles  of  the  gofpel  can  by  no  poflibility  be  ex- 
plained away  in  this  manner.  Total  fiction  will 
account  for  any  thing;  but  no  ftretch  of  exaggera- 
tion that  h  IS  any  parallel  in  other  hidories,  no  force 
of  fancy  upon  real  circumflances,  could  produce  the 
narratives  which  we  now  have.  The  feeding  of  the 
five  thoufand  with  a  few  loaves  and  fiflies  furpafles 
all  bounds  of  exig;;erati'-,n.  The  raifmg  of  Lazarus, 
of  the  widow's  fon  at  Nain,  as  well  as  many  of  the 

*   Jortiii's  Rem.  vol.  II.  p.  51. 

cures 


204  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

cures  which  Chrifl:  wrought,  come  not  within  the 
compafs  of  raifreprcfentation.  I  mean,  that  it  is 
impoffible  to  aflign  any  pofition  of  circumftances, 
however  peculiar,  any  accidental  effeft,  however 
extraordinary,  any  natural  fmgularity,  which  could 
fupply  an  origin  or  foundation  to  thefe  accounts. 

Having  thus  enumerated  feveral  exceptions,  which 
may  juftly  be  taken  to  relations  of  miracles,  it  is 
iiecelTary,  when  we  read  the  fcriptures,  to  bear  in 
our  mind  this  general  remark,  that,  although  there 
be  miracles  recorded  in  the  New  Teflament,  which 
fall  within  fome  or  other  of  the  exceptions  here 
afligned,  yet  that  they  are  united  with  others,  to 
which  none  of  the  fame  exceptions  extend,  and  that 
their  credibility  (lands  upon  this  union.  Thus  the 
vifions  and  revelations,  which  St.  Paul  alTerts  to 
have  been  imparted  to  him,  may  not  in  their  fepa- 
rate  evidence,  be  dillinguifliable  from  the  vifions  and 
revelations  which  many  others  have  alleged.  But 
here  is  the  difference.  St.  Paul's  pretenfions  were 
attefled  by  external  miracles  wrought  by  hirnfelf, 
and  by  miracles  wrought  in  the  caufe  to  which  tliefe 
viiions  relate;  or,  to  fpeak  more  properly,  the  fame 
h'florical  authority,  which  informs  us  of  one  informs 
us  of  the  other.  This  is  not  ordinarily  true  of  the 
vifions  of  enthufiafts,  or  even  of  the  accounts  in 
which  they  are  contained.  Again,  fome  of  Chrid's 
own  miracles  were  momentary;  as  the  transfiguration, 
the  appearance  and  voice  from  heaven  at  Chrill's 
baptifm,  a  voice  from  the  clouds  upon  one  occafion 
afterwards,  (John  xii.  30.)  and  fom.e  others.  It  is 
not  denied,  that  the  diftinftion  which  we  have  pro- 
pofed  concerning  miracles  of  this  fpecies,  applies  in 
diminution  of  the  force  of  the  evidence,  as  much  to 
thefe  indances,  as  to  others.  But  this  is  the  cafe,  not 
with  all  the  miracles  afcribed  to  Chrift,  nor  with  the 
ijreateil  part,  nor  with  many.  Whatever  force  there- 
fore 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  205 

fore  there  may  be  in  the  cbje^ion,  we  have  nume- 
rous miracles  which  are  free  from  it ;  and  even  thefe 
to  which  it  is  appHcablc,  are  little  afFeftcd  by  it  in 
their  credit,  becaufe  there  are  few,  who,  admitting 
the  refl,  will  rcjeft  thefu.  If  there  be  miracles  of  the 
New  Tcftament,  which  come  within  any  of  the  other 
heads  into  which  we  have  diftributed  ths  objeftions, 
the  fame  remark  muft  be  repeated.  And  this 
is  one  way,  in  which  the  unexampled  number  and 
variety  of  the  miracles  afcribcd  to  Chrift,  flrengthens 
the  credibility  of  Chriflianity.  For  it  precludes 
any  folution,  or  conjc^fture  about  a  folution,  whicli 
imagination,  or  even  which  experience  might  fuggeft 
concerning  fomc  particular  miracles,  if  confidered 
independently  of  others.  The  miracles  of  Chrifl 
were  of  various  kinds*,  and  performed  in  great  va- 
rieties of  fiTiiation,  form  and  manner  ;  at  Jerufalem, 
the  metropolis  of  the  Jewilli  nation  and  religion,  in 
different  parts  of  Juda?a  and  Giililee  ;  in  ciiies,  in 
villages  ;  in  fynagogues,  in  private  houfcs  ;  in  the 
ftreet ;  in  highways ;  with  preparation,  as  in  the 
cafe  of  Lazarus,  by  accident,  as  in  the  cafe  of  the 
widow's  fon  at  Nain  ;  when  attended  by  multitudes, 
and  when  alone  with  the  patient ;  in  the  midrt  of  his 
difciples,  and  in  the  midfl:  of  his  enemies  ;  with  the 
common  people  around  him,  and  before  Scribes  and 
Pharifc^es,  and  rulers  of  the  Synagogues. 

*  Not  only  healing  every  fpecies  of  dilcafc,  but  turning 
water  into  wine  (John  ii.);  feeding  multitudes  with  a  few 
loaves  and  fifties  (Matth.  xiv.  14.  Mark  vi.  35.  Luke  ix.  12. 
John  iv.  5.);  walking  on  the  fea  (Mat.  xiv.  23.);  calmins;  a 
ftorm  (Mat.  viii.  26,  Lnke  viii.  23.);  a  celellial  voice  at'^liiii 
baptifm,  and  miraculous  appearance  (Mat.  iii.  17.  afterwards 
John  >ii.  28.);  his  transfiguration  (Mat.  xvii.  i — 8.  Mark  ix. 
2.  Luke  ix.  28.  Ep.  Peter  i.  16,  17.);  raifmg  the  dead  in 
three  iliRinifl  inftanccs  Mat.  ix.  iS.  Mark  v.  22.  Luke  viii.  41. 
Luke  vii.  14.    John  xi. 

I  appre- 


2q6  a  view  of  the 

I  apprehend  that,  when  we  remove  from  the 
comparifon  the  cafes  which  are  fairly  difpofed  of  by 
the  obfervations  that  have  been  ftated,  many  cafes 
will  not  remain.  To  thofe  which  do  remain,  we 
apply  this  final  diftinftion  ;  '  that  there  is  not  fatif- 
*  faftory  evidence,  that  perfons,  pretending  to  be 
'  original  witnelTes  of  the  miracles,  pafTed  their  lives 
'  in  labours,  dangers  and  fufferings,  voluntarily  un- 
'  dertaken  and  undergone  in  atteftation  of  the  ac- 
'  counts  which  they  delivered,  and  properly  in  con- 
'  fequence  of  their  belief  of  the  truth  of  thofe  ac- 
'  counts.' 


CHAP.    II. 


XSUT  they,  with  vv^hom  we  argue,  have 
undoubtedly  a  right  to  eled  their  own  examples. 
The  inftances,  with  which  Mr.  Hume  has  chofen  to 
confront  the  miracles  of  the  New  Teftament,  and 
which,  therefore,  we  are  entitled  to  regard,  as  the 
ftrongefl:  which  the  hiftory  of  the  world  could  fupply 
to  the  enquiries  of  a  very  acute  and  learned  adver- 
fary,  are  the  three  following  : 

1.  The  cure  of  a  blind  and  of  a  lame  man  at 
Alexandria,  by  the  Emperor  Vefpafian,  as  related 
by  Tacitus  ; 

2.  The  reftoration  of  the  limb  of  an  attendant  in 
a  Spaniili  church,  as  told  by  Cardin:il  de  Retz  ;  and 

3.  The  cures  faid  to  be  performed  at  the  tomb  of 
the  Abbe  Paris,  in  the  early  par:  of  the  prefent 
ccutury. 

-      The 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  207 

I.  The  narrative  of  Tacitus  is  delivered  in  thefe 
terms  :  '  One  of  the  cominon  people  of  Alexandria, 
known  to  be  difcafed  in  his  eyes,  by  the  admoni- 
tion of  the  god  Serapis,  whom  that  fuperftitiou<: 
nation  worfhip  above  all  other  gods,  proflrated 
himfcif  before  the  emperor,  earneflly  imploring 
from  him  a  remedy  for  his  blindncfs,  and  intreat- 
ing,  that  he  would  deign  to  anoint  with  his  fpittlc 
his  cheeks  and  the  balls  of  his  eyes.  Another, 
difeafed  in  his  hand,  requefled,  by  the  admonition 
of  the  fame  god,  that  he  mic^ht  be  touched  by  th<^ 
foot  of  the  emperor.  Vefpafian  at  firft  derided  and 
defpifed  their  application  ;  afterwards,  when  they 
continued  to  urge  their  petitions,  he,  fometimes, 
appeared  to  dread  the  imputation  of  vanity  ;  at 
other  times,  by  the  earned  fupplication  of  the 
puients,  and  the  perfuafion  of  his  flatterers,  to  be 
induced  to  hope  for  fuccefs.  At  length  he  com- 
manded an  enquiry  to  be  made  by  phyficians,  whe- 
ther fuch  a  blindnefs  and  debility  were  vincible  by 
human  aid.  The  report  of  the  phyficians  con- 
tained various  points ;  that  in  the  one,  the  power  of 
vifion  was  not  dtftroyed,  but  would  return,  if  the 
obftacles  were  removed  ;  that,  in  the  other,  the 
difeafed  joints  might  be  reftored,  if  a  healing  power 
were  anpiied  ;  that  it  was,  perhaps,  agreeable  to 
the  gods  to  do  this  ;  tliit  the  emperor  was  elected 
by  divine  afTiftance  ;  laflly,  that  the  credit  of  the 
fuccefs  would  be  the  emptfror's,  the  ridicule  of  the 
difappointment  would  lall  upon  the  patients.  Vef- 
pafian, believing  that  every  thing  was  in  the  power 
of  his  fortune,  and  that  nothing' was  any  longer 
incredible,  whilfl:  the  muhituJe,  which  flood  by, 
eagerly  expelled  the  event,  with  a  countenance 
exprefiive  of  joy,  executed  what  he  was  defired  to 
do.  Inmediiuely  the  h:ind  wis  reflored  to  its  ufe, 
and  light  returned  to  the  blind  man.     They,  who 

*  were 


2o8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  were  prefent,  relate  both  thefe  cures,  even  at  this 
'  time,  when  there  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  lying  **. 
Now,  although  Tacitus  wrote  this  account  twenty- 
feven  years  after  the  miracle  is  faid  to  have  been 
performed,  and  wrote  at  Rome  of  what  paffed  at 
Alexandria,  and  wrote  alfo  from  repor-  ;  and  al- 
though it  does  not  appear  that  he  had  examined  the 
ftory,  or  that  he  believed  it  (but  rather  the  contrary) 
yet  I  think  his  teftimony  fufficient  to  prove,  that 
fuch  a  tranfaclion  took  place  ;  by  which  I  mean, 
that  the  two  men  in  queftion  did  apply  to  Vefpafian, 
thai  Vefpafian  did  touch  the  difeafed  in  the  manner 
related,  and  that  a  cure  was  reported  to  have  fol- 
lowed the  operation.  But  the  affair  labours  under 
a  ftrong  and  juft  fufpicion,  that  the  whole  of  it  was 
a  concerted  impofture  brought  about  by  collufion, 
between  the  patients,  the  phyficians  and  the  emperor. 
This  folution  is  probable,  becaufe  there  was  every 
thing  to  fugged,  and  every  thing  to  facilitate  fuch  a 
fcheme.  The  miracle  was  calculated  to  confer  ho- 
nour upon  the  emperor,  and  upon  the  god  Serapis. 
It  was  atchievcd  in  the  midfi:  of  the  emperor's  flat- 
terers and  followers  ;  in  a  city,  and  amongfl:  a  popu- 
lace, beforehand  devoted  to  his  intereft,  and  to  the 
worfliip  of  the  god  ;  where  it  would  have  been  trea- 
fon  and  blafphemy  together,  to  have  contradifted 
the  fame  of  the  cure?,  or  even  to  have  queftioned  it. 
And  what  is  very  obfervable  in  the  account  is,  that 
the  report  of  the  phyficians  is  juft  fuch  a  report,  as 
would  have  been  made  of  a  cafe,  in  which  no  exter- 
nal marks  of  the  difeafe  exifted,  and  which,  confe- 
quently  was  capable  of  being  eafily  counterfeited, 
viz.  that,  in  the  firfl:  of  the  patients,  the  organs  of 
vifion  were  not  dcftroyed,  that  the  weaknefs  of  the 
fecond  was  in  his  joints.    The  ftrongefl  circumftance 

*  Tacit.  Hifl.  Lib,  IV.  c.  8i. 
I  in 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  20^ 

ill  Taciriis*s  narration  is,  that  the  firH:  patient  was 
*  notus  tabe  oculorum,'  remarked  or  notorious  fot 
the  difeafe  in  his  eyes.  But  this  was  a  circumftance 
which  might  have  found  its  way  into  the  ftory  in  its 
progrcfs  from  a  diiiant  country,  and  during  an  in- 
terval of  thirty  years  ;  or  it  might  be  true  that  thq 
malady  of  the  eyes  was  notoriou*?,  yet  that  the  na* 
ture  and  degree  of  the  difeafe  had  never  been  afcer- 
tained.  A  cafe  by  no  means  uncommon.  The  em- 
peror's rcferve  was  eafily  affc£led,  or  it  is  poflible 
he  might  not  be  in  the  fccrer.  There  does  not  feem 
to  be  much  weight  in  the  obfcrvation  of  Tacitus, 
that  they  who  were  prefent  continued  even  liien  to 
relate  the  ftory,  when  there  was  nothing  to  be  gained 
by  the  lie.  It  only  proves  that  thofc,  who  i:ad  told 
the  ftory  for  many  years,  perfifted  in  it.  The  ftate 
of  mind  of  the  witnefles  and  fpcflators  at  the  t'lme^  is 
the  point  to  be  attended  to.  Still  lefs  is  there  of 
pertinency  in  Mr.  Hume's  eulogium  upon  the  cau- 
tious and  penetrating  genius  of  the  hiftorian  ;  for  it 
does  not  appear  that  the  hiftorian  believed  it.  Ihe 
terms  in  which  he  fpeaks  of  Serapis,  the  deity 
to  whofe  interpofition  the  rn'racle  was  atrib  ued, 
fcarcely  fuft'cr  us  to  fuppofe  that  Tacitus  ihou:;ht 
the  miracle  to  be  real,  '  by  the  admonition  of  the 
'  god  Serapis,  whom  that  fuperftitious  nation  (dedita 
'  fuperititionibus  l^ens)  worfliip  above  all  other  gods.* 
To  have  brought  this  fuppofed  miracle  within  the 
limits  of  comparifon  with  the  miracles  of  Chrift,  it 
ought  to  have  appeared,  that  a  perfon  of  a  low  and 
private  ftation,  in  the  midft  of  enemies,  with  the 
whole  power  of  the  country  oppofmg  him,  with 
every  one  around  him  prejudiced  or  intercftcd  againft 
his  claims  and  charafter,  pretended  to  perform  ihefe 
cures  ;  and  required  the  fpe^lators,  upon  the  ftrength 
of  what  they  faw,  to  give  up  their  firmcft  hopes  and 
opinions,  and  follow  him  through  a  hfe  of  trial  and 

P  danger  J 


*i6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

danger ;  that  many  were  fo  moved,  as  to  obey  his 
call,  at  the  expence,  both  of  every  notion  in  which 
they  had  been  brought  up,  and  of  their  eafe,  fafety, 
and  reputation  ;  and  that  by  thefe  beginnings  a 
change  was  produced  in  the  world,  the  eiFcfts  of 
which  remain  to  this  day :  a  cafe,  both  in  its  cir- 
cumftances  and  confequences,  very  unHke  any  thing 
we  find  in  Tacitus's  relation. 

1.  The  (lory  taken  from  the  memoirs  of  Cardinal 
de  Retz,  which  is  the  fecond  example  alleged  by 
Mr.  Hume,  is  this :  '  In  the  church  at  SaragofTa 
'  in  Spain,  the  canons  fhowed  me  a  man  whofe  bufi- 
'  nefs  it  was  to  light  the  lamps,  telling  me  that  he 
*  had  been  feveral  years  at  the  gate,  with  one  leg 
'  only.     I  faw  him  with  two  *.* 

It  is  ftated  by  Mr.  Hume,  that  the  Cardinal  who 
relates  this  ftory,  did  not  believe  it ;  and  it  no  where 
appears,  that  he  either  examined  the  limb,  or  afked 
the  patienr,  or  indeed  any  one,  a  fingle  queflion 
about  the  matter.  An  artificial  leg,  wrought  with 
art,  would  be  fufEcient,  in  a  place  where  no  fuch 
contrivance  had  ever  before  been  heard  of,  to  give 
origin  and  currency  to  the  report.  The  ecclefiadics 
of  the  place  would,  it  is  probable,  favour  the  (tory, 
inafmuch  as  it  advanced  the  honour  of  their  image 
and  church.  And  if  they  patronifed  it,  no  other 
perfon  at  SaragolTa,  in  the  middle  of  the  lad  cen- 
tury, would  care  to  difpute  it.  The  ftory  likewife 
coincided,  not  lefs  with  the  wiflies  and  preconcep- 
tions of  the  people,  than  with  the  interefts  of  their 
ecclefiaftical  rulers ;  fo  that  there  was  prejudice 
backed  by  authority,  and  both  operating  upon  ex- 
treme ignorance,  to  account  for  the  fuccefs  of  the 
impofture.  If,  as  1  have  fuggefted,  the  contrivance 
of  an  artificial  limb  was  then  new,  it  would  not  oc- 

*  Lir.  4.  A  D.  1654. 

cur 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  211 

cur  to  the  Cirdinal  himfelf  to  fufpeift  it ,  efpccially 
under  the  carclclTncfs  of  mind  with  which  he  heard 
the  tale,  and  the  little  inclination  he  felt  to  fcruti- 
nizc  or  expofc  its  fallacy. 

3.  The  iTiiraclcg  related  to  have  been  wrought  at 
the  tomb  of  the  Abbe  Paris,  admit  in  general  of 
tliis  foluiion.  The  patients  who  frequented  the 
tomb  were  fo  affected  by  their  devotion,  thtir  e.\- 
peftation,  the  place,  the  folcmnity,  and,  above  all, 
by  the  fympathy  of  ihe  furrounding  nultitude,  that 
many  of  ihem  were  thrown  into  violent  convulfions, 
which  convulfions,  in  certain  inftances,  produced  a 
removal  of  diforders  depending  upon  obftru^tion, 
^Ve  fliall,  at  this  day,  have  the  lefs  difficulty  in  ad- 
mitting the  above  account,  becaufe  it  is  the  very 
fame  thing,  as  hath  lately  been  experienced  in  the 
operations  of  animal  magnetifm  ;  and  the  report  of 
the  French  phyficians  upon  that  myfterious  remedy, 
is  very  applicable  to  the  prefent  confidcration,  viz. 
that  the  pret(  nders  to  the  art,  by  working  upon  the 
imaginations  of  their  patients,  were  frequently  able 
to  produce  convulfions ;  that  convulfions  fo  pro- 
duced are  amonglt  the  molt  powerful,  but,  at  the 
fame  time,  moll  uncertain  and  unmanageable  appli- 
cations to  the  human  frame  which  can  be  employed. 

Circumdances,  whirh  indicate  this  explication  in 
the  cafe  of  the  Parifian  miracles,  are  the  following  : 

1.  They  "^'trt  tentative.  Out  of  many  thoufand 
fick,  infirm,  and  dileafcd  perfons,  who  reforted  to 
the  tomb,  the  profefTed  hiitory  of  the  miracle  con- 
tains only  nine  cures. 

2.  The  convulfions  at  the  tomb  arc  admitted. 

3.  The  difeafes  w^rc,  for  the  mod  part,  of  that 
fort,  which  depends  upon  ina<ftion  and  obftruftion, 
as  dropfies,  palfies,  anci  foiue  tumours. 

4.  The  cures  were  gradual ;  fome  patients  at- 
tending many  days,  fome,  feveral  weeks,  and  fome, 
feveral  months. 

P  -  V  The 


212  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

5.  The  cures  were  many  of  them  incomplete'. 

6.  Others  were  temporary  *. 

So  that  all  the  wonder  we  are  called  upon  to  ac- 
count for  is,  that  out  of  an  almof^  innumerable  mul- 
titude which  referred  to  the  tomb  for  the  cure  of 
their  complaints,  and  many  of  whom  were  there  agi- 
tated by  (Irong  convulfions,  a  very  fmall  proportion 
experienced  a  beneficial  change  in  their  conftirution, 
efpecially  in  the  a£l:ion  of  the  nerves  and  glands. 

Some  of  the  cafes  alleged  do  not  require  that  we 
ftiould  have  recourfe  to  this  folution.  The  firft 
cafe  in  the  catalogue  is  fcarcely  diftinguifhable  from 
the  progrefs  of  a  natural  recovery.  It  was  that  of 
a  young  man,  who  laboured  under  an  inflammation 
of  one  eye,  ami  had  loft:  the  fight  of  the  other. 
The  inflamed  eye  was  relieved,  but  the  blindnefs  of 
the  other  remained.  The  inflammation  had  before 
been  abated  by  medicine  ;  and  the  young  man,  at 
the  lime  of  his  attendance  at  the  tomb,  was  ufing  a 
lotion  of  laudanum.  And,  what  is  a  ftill  more  ma- 
terial part  of  the  cafe,  the  inflammation  after  fome 
interval  returned.  Another  cafe  was  that  of  a  young 
man  who  had  loft  his  fight  by  the  punfture  of  an 
awl,  and  the  difcharge  of  the  aqueous  humour 
through  the  wound.  The  fight,  which  had  been 
gradually  returning,  was  much  improved  during  his 
vifit  to  the  tomb,  that  is,  probably  in  the  fame  de- 
gree in  which  the  difcharged  humour  was  replaced 
by  fredi  fecretions.  And  it  is  obfervable,  that  thefe 
two  are  the  only  cafes,  which,  from  their  nature, 
fliould  feem  unlikely  to  be  affected  by  convulfions. 

In  one  mattrial  refpe6l  I  allow,  that  the  Parifian 
miracles  were  different  from  (hofe  related  by  Taci- 
tus, and  from  the  Spanifli  miracle  of  the  Cardinal 

*  The  reader  will  find  thefe  particulars  verified  in  the  de- 
tail, by  the  accurate  enquiries  of  the  prefent  Bifhop  of  Sarum 
in  his  criterion  of  miracles,  p.  132.  et  feq. 

de 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  213 

Oe  Retz.  'J  hey  had  not,  like  them,  all  the  power, 
and  all  the  prt^judice  of  ihe  country  on  their  ilde 
10  contend  wiih.  Tliey  were  alleged  by  one  prirty 
againll  another,  by  the  Janfenifts  againfh  the  Jefuits. 
Thefc  were  of  ccurfe  oppofcd  and  examined  by  their 
advcrfaries.  The  confequence  of  which  examina- 
tion was,  that  many  falfehoods  were  detected,  that, 
wirh  (nmething  really  extraordinary  much  fraud  ap- 
peared to  be  mixed.  And  if  fome  of  the  cafes, 
upon  which  defigned  niifreprefentation  could  nor 
be  charH'd,  were  not  at  the  lime  farisfadorily  ac- 
counted fcr,  i^  was  becaufe  the  efficacy  of  ftrong 
fpafmodic  atfe^tions  were  not  then  fufficiently  known. 
Finally,  the  caufe  of  Janfenifra  did  not  rife  by  the 
iTiiracles",  but  fmk  although  the  miracles  had  the 
anterior  perfuafion  of  all  the  ntimerous  adherents  of 
thar  caufe  to  fet  cut  with. 

Ihefe,  let  us  remember,  are  the  ftrongeft  exam- 
ples which  ihc  hiftory  of  ages  fupplies.  In  none  of 
them  was  the  miracle  unequivocal ;  bv  none  of  them 
were  ellabliflied  prejudices  and  perfuafions  over- 
thrown ;  of  none  oi  them  did  the  credit  make  iis 
way,  in  oppofition  to  authority  and  power  ;  by  none 
of  them  were  many  induced  to  commit  ihenifclves, 
and  that  in  contradiction  to  prior  opinions,  to  a  life 
of  mortification,  danger,  and  fufferings  :  none  were 
called  upon  to  atreft  them,  at  the  expence  of  their 
fortunes  and  fafeiy*. 

*  It  may  be  thought  that  the  hiftorian  of  the  Piirlfjan  mi- 
racles, M.  Montgercn,  forrrs  an  exception  to  this  laft  airertion. 
He  prefentcd  h\?  hook  (with  a  fufj  icion,  as  it  (hould  feein,  of 
the  danger  of  v  hat  he  was  doing)  to  the  king  ;  and  was  Jhortly 
afterwards  comniittfd  to  prifoii,  from  which  he  never  came 
«jut.  Had  the  niiracks  been  unequivocal,  and  had  M.  Mont- 
j^eron  been  originally  convinced  by  them,  I  Ihnuld  have  allowed 
this  excej  ti'  n.  It  would  have  (toed,  I  think,  alone  in  the  ar- 
gument of  our  adveifarie';.  But,  befide  what  has  been  oblerved 
4.f  the  dubious  nature  of  the  miracles,  the  accoimt,  which  M. 

P  3  Mont^ejoa 


ai4  A  VIEW,  ^c: 

Montgeron  has  himfelf  leftiof  his  converfion,  fliows  both  the 
ftate  of  his  mind,  and  that  h'u  perfuajion lus  not  built  upon  exter-. 
nal  miracles.     '  Scarcely  had  he  en;.ered  the  church-yard,  when 

*  he  was  ftruck,'  he  tells  us,  *  with  awe  and  reverence,  having 

*  never  before  heard  prayers  pronounced  with  fo  mui  h  ardour 

*  and  tranfport,  as  he  obferved  amongft  the  fnpplicants  at  the 

*  tomb.     Upon  this,  throwing  himfelf  on  his  knees,  refting  his 

*  elbows  on  the  tombftone,  and  covering  his  face  with  his  hands, 

*  he  fpoke  the  following  prayer  :  0  thou,  by  nvhofe  intercejfion  fo 
^  many  miracles  are  f aid  to  be  performed,  if  it  he  true  that  a  part  of 

*  thee  fiirvivetb  the  grave,  and  that  thou  hajl  iiifluence  ivith  the  Al- 

*  mighty,  have  pity  on  the  darhncfs  of  my  underjlanding,  and  through 

*  his  mercy  obtain  the  removal  of  it.     Having  prayed  thus,  many 

*  thoughts,  as  he  fayeth,  began  to  open  themfelves  to  his  mind  ; 

*  and  lo  profound  was  his  attention,  that  he  continued  on  his 

*  knees  four  hours,  not  in  the  leaft  difturbed  by  the  vaft  croud 

*  of  furrounding  fupplicants.     During  this  time  all  the  argu- 

*  ments  which  hie  ever  heard  or  read  in  favour  of  Chriftianity, 

*  occurred  to  him  with  fo  much  force,  and  feemed  fo  ftrong  and 

*  convincing,  that  he  went  home  fully  fatisfied  of  the  truth  of 
■  *  religion  in  general,  and  of  the  holinefs  and  power  of  that  per- 

*  fon,  who,'  as  he  fuppofed,  *  had  engaged  the  divine  goodnefs 

*  to  enlighten  his  underftanding  fo  fuddenly.'  Douglas  Crit. 
of  Mir.  p.  214. 


PART 


PART    II, 


OF  THE  AUXILIARY   EVIDENCES   OF   CHRISTIANITY 


CHAPTER     I. 

Prophecy, 


If.  lii.  13.  liii.  ^gpHOLD,  my  fervant  Ihall 
'  deal  prudently,  he  fliall  be  exalted,  and  extolled, 
'  and  be  very  high.  As  many  were  aftonilhed  at 
'  thee  ;  (his  vifage  was  fo  marred  more  than  any 
'  man,  and  his  form  more  than  the  fons  of  men  :) 
'  fo  iliall  he  fprinklc  many  nations ;  the  kings  fliall 
'  fliut  their  mouths  at  him  :  for  that  which  had  not 
'  been  told  them  fliall  they  fee  ;  and  that  which  they 
'  have  not  heard  fliall  they  confider.  Who  hath 
'  believed  our  report  ?  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of 
'  the  Lord  revealed  ?  For  he  fliall  grow  up  before 
'  him  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry 
'  ground :  he  hath  no  form  nor  comelinefs ;  and 
'  when  we  fliall  fee  him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  we 
'  fliould  defire  him.     He  is  defpifed  and  rejected  of 

*  men,  a  man  of  forrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief: 

*  and  we  hid,  as  it  were,  our  faces  from  him  ;  he 

P  4  '  was 


2i6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

wa<;  defpifed,  and  we  efteemed  him  not.  Surely 
he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  forr^ws: 
yet  we  did  efteem  Him  (tricken,  fmittcn  of  God, 
and  afflicted.  But  he  was  wounded  for  our  tranf- 
grcffions,  he  was  briiifed  for  our  iniquiries :  the 
chafHfement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him  ;  and  with 
his  ftripes  we  arc  healed.  Ali  we  like  Ihecp  have 
gone  aftray  ;  we  have  turned  every  one  to  his 
own  vvav  ;  <ind  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  tlie  ini- 
quity of  us  all.  He  was  oppreffed  and  lie  was 
affli6i:ed,  yet  he  opened  not  his  mouih :  he  is 
brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  flaughtcr;  and  as  a  fiieep 
before  her  {hearers  is  dumb,  fo  he  cpencth  not 
his  mouth.  He  was  taken  from  prifon  and  from 
judgment  ;  and  who  (liall  declare  his  generation? 
for  he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living  : 
for  the  tranfgreffion  of  my  people  was  lie  (Iricken. 
And  he  made  his  grave  with  the  wicked,  and  with 
the  rich  in  his  death  ;  becaufe  he  had  done  no  vio- 
lence, neither  was  there  any  deceit  in  his  mouth. 
Yet  it  pleafed  the  Lord  to  bruife  him  ;  he  hath 
put  him  to  grief.  When  thou  flialt  make  his  foul 
an  offering  for  fm,  he  fhall  fee  his  feed,  he  fliall 
prolong  his  days,  and  the  pleafure  of  the  Lord 
flial!  profper  in  his  hand.  He  Ihall  fee  of  the  tra- 
vail of  his  foul,  and  fliall  be  fatisfied  :  by  his  know- 
ledge ftiall  my  righteous  fervant  juftify  many  ;  for 
he  fhall  bear  their  iniquities.  Therefore  will  I 
divide  him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and  he  fliall 
divide  the  fpoil  with  the  flrong  ;  becaufe  he  hath 
poured  out  his  foul  unto  death  :  and  he  was  num- 
bered with  the  traiifgreffors  ;  and  he  bare  the  fm 
of  many,  and  made  interceffion  for  the  tranfgref- 
fors.' 
Thefe  words  are  extant  in  a  book,  purporting  to 

contam  the  predictions  of  a  writer,  who  lived  feven 

ccpturies  before  the  Chriftian  aera. 

That 


EVIDENCES  or  CHRISTIANITY.  217 

Th;u  m;irrri;\l  part  of  every  argument  from  pro- 
phecy, namely,  that  the  words  alleged  were  aclually 
fpoken  or  written  before  the  fa(5t,  to  which  they  are 
applied,  took  place,  or  could  by  any  natural  means 
be  forefeen,  is,  in  the  prefent  inltance,  inconteftiblc. 
The  record  comes  out  of  the  cuftc^dy  of  adverlaries. 
The  Jews,  as  an  ancient  father  well  obf.-rved,  are 
our  librarians.  The  paffage  is  in  their  copies  as 
well  as  in  ours.  With  many  attempts  to  explain  it 
away,  none  has  ever  been  made  by  them  to  difcredit 
its  authenticity. 

And,  what  adds  to  the  force  of  the  quotation  is, 
that  it  is  taken  from  a  writini^  declaredly  prophetic ; 
a  writing,  profefhng  to  defcribe  fuch  future  tranfac- 
tions  and  changes  in  the  world,  as  were  conne6led 
with  the  fate  and  interefts  of  the  Jewilh  nation.  It 
is  not  a  paflflige  in  an  hidorical  or  devotional  compo- 
fition,  which,  becaufe  it  turns  out  to  be  applicable 
to  fome  future  fituation  c  f  affiiirs,  is  prefumed  to 
have  been  oracular.  The  words  of  Ifaiah  were  deli- 
livered  by  him  in  a  prophetic  chara<5ler,  with  the 
lolemnity  belonging  to  that  charafter ;  and  what  he 
fo  delivered,  was  all  along  underftood  by  the  Jewifli 
reader  to  refer  to  fomething  that  was  to  take  p'ace 
after  the  time  of  the  author.  The  public  fentiments 
of  the  Jews,  concerning  the  dcllgn  of  Ifaiah's  wri- 
tings, are  fet  forth  in  the  book  of  Ecclefiafticus  : 
'  He  faw,  by  an  excellent  fpirit,  what  fliould  come 

*  to  pafs  at  the  lad,  and  he  comforted  them  that 
'  mourned  in  Sion.  He  fliowed  what  flioiild  come 
'  to  pafs  for  ever,  and  fecret  things  or  ever  they 

*  came.*     (ch.  xlviii.  v.  24.) 

It  is  alfo  an  advantar^e  which  this  prophecy  pof. 
feflcs,  that  it  is  intermixed  with  no  other  fubjc^i:. 
It  is  entire,  feparate,  and  uninterruptedly  dire(fled 
to  one  fcene  of  things. 

The 


2i8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

The  application  of  the  prophecy  to  the  evangch'c 
hiftcry  is  plain  and  appropriate.  Here  is  no  double 
fenfe.  No  figurative  language  but  what  is  fufficiently 
intelligible  to  every  reader  of  every  country.  The 
obfcurities,  by  which  I  mean  the  expreffions  that 
require  a  knowledge  of  local  dii5lion,  and  of  local 
allufion,  are  few,  and  not  of  great  importance. 
Nor  have  I  found  that  varieties  of  reading,  or  a  dif- 
ferent confiruing  of  the  original,  produce  any  ma- 
terial alteration  in  the  fenfe  of  the  prophecy.  Com- 
pare the  common  tranllation  with  that  of  Bifliop 
Lowth,  and  the  difference  is  not  confiderable.  So 
far  as  they  do  differ,  Bifliop  Lowth's  corre6lions, 
which  are  the  faithful  rcfult  of  an  accurate  examina- 
tion, bring  the  defcription  nearer  to  the  NewTefta- 
nient  hidory  than  it  was  before.  In  the  fourth  verfc 
of  the  fifty- third  chapter,  what  our  bible  renders 

*  ftricken,'  he  tranilatcs  '  judicially  ftricken  ;'  and 
JR  the  eighth  verfe,  the  claufe  '  he  was  taken  from 
'  prifon  and  from  judgment,'  the  Bifhop  gives  '  by 

*  an  oppreffive  judgment  he  was  taken  off.'  The 
next  words  to  thefe,  '  who  fliall  declare  his  genera- 
'  tion,'  are  much  cleared  up  in  their  meaning  by 
the  Bifhop's  verfion,  •  his  manner  of  life  who  would 
'  declare,'  /'.  e.  v/ho  w'culd  (land  forth  in  his  defence. 
'  The  former  part  of  the  ninth  verfe,  '  and  he  made 

*  his  grave  with  the  wicked,  and  with  the  rich  in 

*  his  death,'  which  inverts  the  circumftanccs  of 
Chrifl's  paffion,  the  Bifhop  brings  out  in  an  order 
perfectly   agreeably  to  the   event ;   *  and   his  grave 

*  was  appcirrted  with  the  wicked,  but  with  the  rich 
'  man  was  his  tomb.'  The  words  in  the  eleventh 
verfe,  '  by  his  knowledge  fliall  my  righteous  fervant 
'  jufrify  many,'  are  in  the  Bifliop's  verfion  '  by  the 
'  knowledge  of  him  fnall  ray  righteous  fervant  juflify 
'many.' 

It 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  119 

It  is  natural  to  enquire  what  turn  the  Jews  them- 
lelves  trive  to  this  prophecy*.     There  is  good  proof 
that  the  ancient  Rabbins  explained  it  ol   their  ex- 
peded  iVJeihahf;  but  their  modern  expofuors  con- 
cur, I  think,  in  reprcf.^nting  ir,  as  a  dcfcription  of 
the  calimitous  ftaie  and  intended  relloration  of  the 
Jcwidi  people,  who  are  here,  as  they  fay,  exhibited 
under  the  charafter  of  a  fingle  perfon.     1  have  not 
difcovcred  that  their  expofition  reds  upon  any  criti- 
cal .ir'.Tuments,  or  upon  rhcfe  in  any  other  than  a 
very  minute  decree.     The  claufe  in  the  ninth  verfe, 
which  we  ren  ler  '  for  the  tranfgrelhon  of  my  people 
'  was  he  ftricken,'  and  in  the  margin  *  was  the  (troke 
'  upon  him,'  the  Jews  n^ad,  '  for  the  tranfgreffion 
'  of  my  people  was  the  ftroke  upon  tbetn.'     And 
what  they  allege  in  fupport  of  the  alteration  amounts 
only  to  this,  that  the  Hebrew  pronoun  is  capable  of 
a  plural,  as  well  as  of  a  fmgular  fignification,  that  is 
to  fiy,  is  capable  of  their  conftruaion  as  well  as 
t.     And  this  is  all  the  variation  contended  for : 


ours 


*    '  Vaticinium  hoc  EHiije  eft  carnificina  Rabbinorum,  de 
quo  ali'iui  Jndsel  mihi  cnnfeiri  funt,  Rabbin-  s  iu^s  ex  pniphe- 
ticis  Icripturis  facile  fe  extricare  pinuiire,  modo  Efaias  tacuijet." 
Hulfe  Theol.  Jad.  p.  318.  quoted  by  Poole  in  loc. 
f  Hulle  Theol.  Jud.  p.  430 

t  BiOiop  Lf-wth  adopts  in  this  place  the  reading  ot  the 
feventy,  which  gives  fmitten  to  dtaih,  '  for  the  tranfgrcfllon  of 
*  my  people  was  he  fmitten  to  death.'  The  addition  of  the 
words  '  to  death,'  m;ikes  an  end  of  the  Jcwilh  inre  pretatiun 
of  the  claufe.  And  the  authority,  upon  wliich  this  reading 
(thou^^h  not  given  by  the  prcfent  Hebrew  text)  is  adopted. 
Dr.  Kennicot  has  fet  forth  by  an  argument,  not  only  fo  co- 
gent,  but  fo  clear  and  popular,  that  I  beg  leave  to  tranfcnbe 
the  fubftancc  of  it  into  this  note.  ♦  Origen,  after  having 
«  quoted  at  large  this  prophecy  concerning  the  MefTiah,  tells  us, 
•  that  having  once  made  ufe  ol"  this  paffage,  in  a  difpute  a.!;aina 

<  fome  that  were  accounted  wife  among  the  Jews,  one  of  them 

<  replied,  that  the  words  did  not  mem  one  man,  but  one  people, 
«  the  lews,  who  were  fmlttcu  of  God,  and  diQierfcd  among 

■*  *  the 


220  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  refl:  of  the  prophecy  they  read  as  we  do.  The 
probability,  therefore,  of  their  expofition  is  a  fub- 
j^(5t  of  which  we  are  as  capable  of  judging  as  thrm- 
felves.  This  fnbjeft  is  open  indeed  to  the  good  fenfe 
cf  every  attentive  reader.  The  application  which 
the  Jews  contend  for,  appears  to  me  to  labour  under 
infuperable  difficulties  ;  in  particular,  it  may  be  de- 
manded of  them  to  explain,  in  whofe  name  or  per- 
fon,  if  the  Jewifh  people  be  the  fuffcrer,  does  the 
prophet  fpeak,  when   he  fays,  *  he  hath  borne  our 

*  griefs,  and  carried  cur  forrows,  ycr  we  did  efletm 

*  him  ftrickcn,  fmitten  of  God  and  afflifted  ;  but  he 
'  was  v.'ounded  for  our  tranfgrefTions,  he  was  brnifed 
'  for  our  iniquities,  the  chaitifement  of  our   peace 


*  the  Gentiles  fr.r  their  converficn ;  that  he  then  urged  many 
'  parts  of  ihib  prophecy,  to  fhew  the  abfurd^ty  of  ihis  interpre- 

*  tation,  and  that  he  feemed  to  prefs  them  the  hardell  by  this 

*  feotence — '  for  the  tranfgreffion  cf  my  people  was  he  fmitten 

*  to  death.'     Now,    as  Origtn,  the  author  oi    the  Hexapla, 

*  muft  liave  underftood  Hebrew,  we  cannot  fuppufe  that  he 
'  would  have  urged  this  laft  text   as  fo  decinve,  if  the  Greek 

*  verfion  had  not  agreed  here  with  the  Hebrew  text ;  nor  that 

*  thele  wife  Jews  would  have  been  at  all  diihdfed  by  this  quota- 

*  tion,  unleis  the  Hebrew  text  had  read  agreeably  to  the  words 

*  *  to  death,'   on  which  the  argument  ptincipally  depended; 

*  for  by  quoting  it  immtdiately,  they  would  have  triumphed 

*  over  hm,  and  reprobated  his  Greek  vi^rfion.     Th  s,  when- 

*  ever  they  could  do  it,  was  their  conilant  practice  in  their 
'  difputes  with  the  Chrilliars.    Origen  himfelf,  who  1  abort  u fly 

*  compared  the  Hebrew  text  with  the  Septuagint,  has  recorded 
'  the  neceflity  cf  arguing  with  the  Jews,  from  fuch  paffages 

*  only,  as  were  in  the  Septuagint  agreeable  to  the  Hebrew. 

*  Wherefore,    as  Origen   had  carefully  compared   the   Greek 

*  verfion  of  the  Septuagint  with  the  Hebrew  text ;  and  as  he 

*  puzzled  and  confounded  the  learned  Jews,  by  urging  upon 

*  them  the  reading  '  to  death'  in  this  place ;  it  fcems  almoft 
'  impoiTible  not  to  crnclude,  both  from  Origen's  argument,  and 
'  the  filence  of  his  Jewifh  adveifiries,  that  the  Hebrew  text  at 

*  that  time  adually  had  the  word  agreeably  to  the  verfion  of 

*  t;i€  feventy,'     Lowth's  Ifaiah,  p.  242. 

*  was 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  221 

*  was  upon  him,  and  with  his  flripes  zve  are  healed.' 
Acjain,  the  defcription  id  the  fcventh  vcrfe,  '  he 
'  was  opprelTed  and  he  was  affli»5led,  yet  he  opened 
'  not  his  mouth  ,  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the 

*  flaughrer,  and  as  a  (lieep  ]-)efore  lier  (hearers   is 

*  dumb,  fo  he  openeth  not  his  mouth,*  quadrates 
with  no  part  of  the  Jewifli  hiflory  with  which  we  are 
acquainted.  'Ilie  mention  of  the  '  grave,'  and  the 
'  tomb,'  in  the  ninth  verfe,  is  not  very  applicable 
to  thf"  forrunes  of  a  nation  ;  and  ilill  lefs  fo  is  the 
conclufion  of  the  prophecy  in  the  twelfth  verfe,  which 
exprcf-dy  reprefenis  the  fiilTerin.^s  as  "wluntary^  and 
the  fuffcrcr  as  interceding  for  the  olTendcrs,  '  bccaufe 
'  he  hath  poured  out  his  foul  unto  d>^ath,  and  he  was 
'  numbered  with  the  tranf^rclTors,  and  he  bare  the 

*  fm  of  many,  and  made  intercclHon  for  the  irauf- 
'  greffors.' 

There  are  other  prophecies  of  the  Old  TeQament, 
interpreted  by  ChrilVians  to  relate  to  the  gofpel  hif- 
lory, which  are  defervin:^  both  of  regard,  and  of  a 
very  attentive  confideration  ;  but  1  content  myfelf 
with  dating  the  above,  becaufe  I  think  it  the  cleared 
and  the  drongefl  of  all,  and  becaufe  mod  of  the  red, 
in  order  that  their  vakic  be  reprcfented  with  any 
tolerable  degree  of  fi  lelity,  require  a  difcudlon  lui- 
fuitable  to  the  limits  and  nature  of  this  work.  The 
reader  will  find  them  difpofed  in  order,  and  didiniSily 
explained  in  Bidiop  Chandler's  treatife  upon  the 
fubje^l  ;  and  he  will  bear  in  mind,  what  has  been 
often,  and,  I  think,  truly,  urged  by  the  advocates 
of  Chridi.miry,  that  there  is  no  other  eminent  perfon, 
to  the  hidory  of  whofe  life  io  many  circumdances 
can  be  made  to  apply.  They  who  objeft,  that 
much  has  been  done  by  the  power  of  chance,  the 
ingenuity  of  accommodation,  and  in  the  indudry 
of  refearch,  ought  to  try  whether  the  fcune,  or  an\' 
♦lung  like  it,  could  be  done,  if  Mahoniet,  or  anv 


222  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

other  perfon,  were  propofed  as  the  fubje^l  of  Jewifh 
prophecy. 

II.  A  feecond  head  of  argument  from  prophecy, 
is  founded  upon  our  Lord's  predi<5lions  concerning 
the  deftru6lion  of  Jerufalem  recorded  by  three  out 
of  the  four  evangelifts. 

Luke  xxi.  5 — 25.     '  And  as  fome  fpake  of  the 

*  temple,  how  it  was  adorned  with  goodly  (tones  and 
'  gifts,  he  faid,  as  for  thefe  things  which  ye  behold, 
'  the  days  will  come,  in  the  which  there  fhali  not  be 
'  left  one  (tone  upon  another,  that  (liall  not  be 
'  thrown  down.     And  they  afked  him,  faying,  M.if- 

*  ter,  but  when  fhall  thefe  things  be  ?  and  what  fi;;n 
'  fliall  there  be  when  thefe  things  fhall  come  to  pafs  ? 

*  And  he  faid,  lake  heed  ihu  ye  be  not  deceived, 
'  for  many  fhall  come  in  ray  name,  faying,  1  am 
'  Chrid  ;  and  the  time  draweth  near.  Go  ye  not 
'  therefore  after  them.  But,  when  ve  fhall  hear  of 
'  wars  and  commotions,  be  not  terrified  ;  for  the  fe 
'  things  miift:  iirft  come  to  pafs,  but  the  end  i«  not  by 
'  and  by.  Then  faid  he  unto  them.  Nation  fhall 
'  rife  againft  nation,  and  kingdom  againft  kingdom, 

*  and  great  earthquakes  fhall  be  in  divers  places,  and 
'  famines  and  peftilences  :  and  fearful  fights,  and 
'  great  figns  fliall  there  be  from  heaven.  But  before 
'  all  thefe,  they  fliall  lay  their  hands  on  you,  and 
'  perfecute  you,  delivering  you  up  to  the  fynagogues, 

*  and  into  prifons,  being  brought  before  kings  and 
'  rulers  for  my  name's  fake.     And  it  fliall  turn  to 

*  you  for  a  teftimony.     Settle  it  therefore  in  your 

*  hearts,  not  to  meditate  before  what  ye  fliall  an- 
'  fwer ;  for  I  will  give  you  a  mouth  and  wifdom, 
'  which  all  your  adverfaries  fliall  net  be  able  to  gain- 

*  (iiy  nor  refnl:.  And  ye  fliall  be  betrayed  both  by 
'  parents  and  brethren,  and  kinsfolk  and  friends  ; 

*  and  fome  of  you  ihall  they  caufe  to  be  put  to  death. 

*  And  ye  fliall  be  hated  of  ail  men  for  my  name's 

'  fake. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  223 

*  fake.     But  there  fliall  not  an  hair  of  your  head 

*  perilh.      In   your   patience  polTefs  ye  your  fouls. 

*  And  when  ye  fliall  fee  Jerufalem  compalTed  with 
'  armies,  then  know  that  the  defolation  thereof  is 
'  nigh.     Then  let  them  which  are  in  Judosa  flee  to 

*  the  mountains  ;  and  let  them  which  are  in  the  midft 

*  of  it  depart  out ;  and  let  not  ihedi  that  are  in  the 
'  countries  enter  thereinto.  For  thefe  fee  the  days 
'  of  vengeance,  that  all  things  which  are  written 
'  may  be  fulfilled.     But  woe  unto   them,  that   arc 

*  with  child,  and  to  them  that  give  fuck,  in  thofe 

*  days  ;  for  there  fliall  be  great  difl:refs  in  the  land, 
'  and  wrath  upon  this  people.-  And  they  fliall  fall 
'  by  the  edge  of  the  fword,  and  fliall  be  led  away 

*  captive  into  all  nations ;  and  Jerufalem  fliall  be 
'  trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the  time  of 
'  the  Gentiles  be  fulfilled." 

In  terms  nearly  fimilar,  this  difcourfe  is  related  In 
the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of  Matthev/,  and  the 
thirteenth  of  Mark.  The  profpeift  of  the  fame  evils 
drew  from  our  Saviour,  upon  another  occafion,  the 
following  aile^ling  expreflions  of  concern,  which  are 
preferved  by  St.  Luke  (xix.  41.):  '  And  when  he 
'  was  come  near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over 
'  it,  faying,  if  thou   hadtt   known,    even    thou,  at 

*  leafl;  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto 
'  thy  peace  ;  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes, 

*  for  the  days  fliall  come  upon  thee,  that  thine  ene- 
'  mies  fliall  cafl:  a  trench  about  thee,  and  compafs 
'  thee  round,  and  keep  thee  in  on  every  fide,  and 
'  fliall  lay  thee  even  with  the  ground,  and  thy  chil- 

*  drcn  within  thee,  and  they  Ihall  not  l-rave  in  there 
'  one  flone  upon  another,  bccaufe  thou  kncwcit  not 
'  the  time  of  thy  vifitation.'  Thefe  paflligcs  arc 
direct  and  explicit  predictions.  References  to  the 
fame  event,  fome  plain,  fomc  parabolical,  cr  orher- 

v^If'e 


224  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

wife  figurative,  are  found  in  divers  other  difcourfcs 
of  our  Lord*. 

The  general  agreement  of  the  defcriptions  with 
the  event,  viz.  wirh  the  ruin  of  the  jcwifli  nation, 
and  the  capture  of  Jerufalem  under  Vcf'-;afian,  rhirty- 
fix  years  afrer  ChrilT's  death,  is  molt  evident:  and 
the  accordancv  in  various  articles  of  detail  and  cir- 
cumftancc  has  been  fliewn  by  many  learned  writers. 
It  is  alfo  an  advantage  to  the  enquiry,  and  to  the 
argument  built  upon  it,  that  we  have  received  a 
copious  account  of  the  tranfaftion  from  Jofephus,  a 
Jewiili  and  contemporary  hiftorian.  This  part  of 
the  cafe  is  pcrfe^lly  free  from  doubt.  The  only 
tjueflion,  which,  in  ray  opinion,  can  be  raifed  upon 
the  fLibje£l  is,  whether  the  prophecy  was  really  de- 
livered before  the  event.  I  fliall  apply,  therefore, 
my  obfervations  to  this  point  folely. 

1.  The  judgment  of  antiquity,  though  varying  in 
the  precife  year  of  the  publication  of  the  thiee  gof- 
pels,  concurs  in  afTigning  them  a  date  prior  to  the 
deflru6tion  of  Jerufalemf. 

2.  This  judgment  is  confirmed  by  a  flrong  proba- 
bility arifing  from  the  courfe  of  human  life.  The 
deflruftion  of  Jerufalem  took  place  in  the  feventieth 
year  after  the  birth  of  Chrifl.  The  three  evange- 
lifls,  one  of  whom  was  his  immediate  companion, 
and  the  other  two  affociate-d  wiih  liis  companions, 
were,  it  is  probable,  not  much  younger  than  he  was. 
They  mud,  confequently,  have  been  far  advanced  in 
hPe  when  Jerufalem  was  ti-^ken;  and  no  reafon  has 
been  given  why  they  fliould  defer  writing  their  hif- 
tcries  fo  lono;. 


't>' 


*   M^t  xxi.  33 — 46.    xxii.  1 — 7.     Mark  xii,  i — 12.     Luke 
xiil.   I — 9.     XX.  9 — 20.     xxi.5 — 13. 

t  Lardner,  vol.  XIIL 

3.  If 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         225 

3.*  If  the  evangelids,  at  the  time  of  writing  the 
oofncls,  had  known  of  the  definition  of  jerufdleni, 
by  which  cataftrophe  the  prophecic-s  were  plainly 
fulfilled,  it  is  mofl:  probable,  that,  in  recording  the 
predictions,  they  would  have  dropped  foine  word  or 
other  about  the  completion;  in  like  manner  as  Luke, 
after  relating  the  denunciation  of  a  death  by  Ap^abus, 
adds,  '  which  came  to  pafs  in  tlie  days  of  Ci.iudius 
Csefcirj:'  whereas  the  prophecies  are  given  di(lin£lly 
in  one  chapter  of  each  of  the  three  firH:  gofpels,  and 
referred  to  in  feveral  different  palT.iges  of  each,  and, 
in  none  of  all  thefe  places,  does  there  appear  the 
fm.illeft  intimation  that  the  things  fpoken  of  were 
come  to  paf-^.  I  do  admit  that  it  would  have  been 
the  part  of  an  impoftor,  who  wifhed  his  readers 
to  beliere  that  his  book  was  written  before  the 
event,  when  in  truth  it  was  written  after  it,  to  have 
fupprefTed  any  fuch  intimation  carefully.  But  this 
was  not  the  charafter  of  the  authors  of  the  gofpel. 
Cunning  was  no  quality  of  theirs.  Of  all  writers  in 
the  world,  they  thought  the  leaft  of  providing 
againfl  objci^ions.  Moreover,  there  is  no  claufe  iti 
any  one  of  them,  that  makes  a  profeflion  of  having 
written  prior  to  the  Jewilli  wars,  which  a  fraudulent 
purpofe  would  have  led  them  to  pretend.  They 
liave  done  neither  one  thing  nor  the  other.  They 
have  neither  infertcd  any  words,  which  might  fignify 
to  the  reader  thiit  their  accounts  were  written  before 
the  deflruClion  of  Jerufalem,  which  a  fophift  would 
have  done;  nor  have  they  dropped  a  hint  ot-  the  com- 
pletion of  the  prophecies  recorded  by  them,  which 
an  undefigning  writer,  writing  after  the  event,  could 
hardly,  on  fome  or  other  of  the  many  cccafions  that: 
prcfented  themfelves,  have  mifTed  of  doing. 

*  Le  Clerc.  Diir.  III.  de  quat.  ev.   ITam.  VII.  p.  541. 
t  Aas  xi.  28. 

O  .1.  The 


2z6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

4.  The  admonitions*  which  Chrifl:  is  reprefented 
to  have  given  to  his  followers  to  fave  themfelves  by 
flight,  are  not  eafily  accounted  for  upon  the  fuppo- 
fition  of  the  prophefy  being  fabricated  after  the 
event.  Either  the  Chriftians,  when  the  fiege  ap- 
proached, did  make  their  efcape  from  Jerufa'.em,  or 
they  did  not:  if  they  did  they  mud  have  had  the 
prophecy  amongft  them :  if  they  did  not  know  of 
any  fuch  predisTtion  at  the  time  of  the  fiege,  if  they 
did  not  take  notice  of  any  fuch  warnin;^,  it  was  au 
improbable  fiftion,  in  a  writer  publifliing  his  work 
near  to  that  time  (which  upon  any,  even  the  lowelb 
and  mod  difadvantageous  fuppofition,  was  the  cafe 
with  the  gofpels  now  in  our  hands),  and  addrelTmg 
his  work  to  Jews  and  to  Jewiih  converts  (which 
Matthew  certainly  did),  to  (late  that  the  followers 
of  Chrifl:  had  received  admonitions,  of  which  they 
made  no  ufe  when  the  occafion  arrived,  and  of  which, 
experience  then  recent  proved,  that  thofe,  who  were 
moll  concerned  to  know  and  regard  them,  were 
ignorant  or  negligent.  Even  if  the  prophefies  came 
to  the  hands  of  the  evangelifts  through  no  better 
vehicle  than  tradition,  it  mud  have  been  by  a  tradi- 
tion which  fubfided  prior  to  the  event.  And  to 
fuppofe,  that,  without  any  authority  whatever,  with- 
out fo  much  as  even  any  tradition  to  guide  them, 
they  had  forged  thefe  paffages,  is  to  impute  to  them 

*  Luke  xxi.  20,  21.     *  When  ye  fhall  fee  Jerufalem  corri' 

*  paffed  with  armies,  then  know  that  the  defblation  thereof  is 
'  nigh ;  then  let  them  whicli  be  in  Judsa  flee  to  the  mountains, 

*  and  let  them  which  are  in  the   midtt  of  it  depart  out,  and 

*  let  nor  them  that  are  in  the  countries  enter  thereinto.' 

Mat.  xiv.  18.    *  When  ye  fhall  fee  Jerufalem  compaiTed  with 

*  armies,  then  let  them  which  be  in  Judasa  flee  unto  the  moun- 

*  tains;  let  him  which  is  on  the  houfe  top,  not  come  down  to 
'  take  any  thing  out  of  his  houfe,  neither  let  him  v.hich  is  in  the 
'  field,  return  back  to  take  ^is  clothes.' 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRlSTlANrrY.  227 

a  degree  of  fraud  and  impodure,  fro'ii  every  appear- 
ance of  which  their  corapofuions  are  as  far  removed 
as  polfible. 

5.  I  think  that,  if  the  prophecies  had  been  com- 
pofed  after  the  event,  there  would  have  been  more 
ipecification.  The  names  or  defcript'ons  of  the 
enemy,  the  general,  the  emperor,  would  have  been 
found  in  them.  The  defignation  of  the  time  would 
have  been  more  determinate.  And  I  am  fortifiird  in 
this  opinion  by  obferving,  that  the  counterfeited 
prophefies  of  the  Sybilline  oracles,  of  the  twelve 
patriarchs,  and,  I  am  inclined  to  believe,  moft  others 
of  the  kind,  are  mere  tranfcripts  of  the  hidory 
moulded  into  a  prophetic  form. 

It  is  objected  that  the  prophecy  of  the  de(lru£lion 
of  Jerufalem,  is  mixed,  or  conne(5ted  with  exprcflions, 
which  relate  to  the  final  judgment  of  the  world;  and 
fo  connefted,  as  to  lead  an  ordinary  reader  to  expeft 
that  thefe  two  events  would  not  be  far  diftant  from 
each  other.  To  which  I  anfwcr,  that  the  obj«  £lion 
does  not  concern  our  prefent  aroument.  If  our 
Saviour  actually  foretold  the  deft:ru£lion  of  Jenifalem, 
it  is  fufficient;  even  although  we  Ihould  allow,  that 
the  narration  of  the  prophecy  had  combined  together 
what  had  been  faid  by  him  upon  kindred  fubjefls, 
without  accurately  prefcrving  the  order,  or  always 
Eoticing  the  tranlltion  of  the  difcourfe. 


Qjz  CHAP. 


^28  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

CHAP.    IL 

The  morality  of  the  Co/pel. 

In  (latiag  the  morality  of  the  gofpel  as^ 
an  argument  of  its  truth,  I  am  willing  to  admit  tw» 
points,  firft,  that  the  teaching  of  morality  was  not 
the  primary  defign  of  the  milTion;  fecondly,  that 
morality,  neither  in  the  gofpel,  nor  in  any  other 
book,  can  be  a  fubjeft,  properly  fpeaking,  of  dif- 
covery. 

If  I  were  to  defcribe  in  a  very  few  words  the 
fcope  of  Chriftianity,  as  a  revelation  *,  I  Ihould  fay, 
that  it  was  to  influence'  the  conduct  of  human  life, 
hy  eflablifhing  the  proof  of  a  future  ftate  of  reward 
and  punifliment — -'  to  bring  life  and  immortality  to 
'  light.*  The  dire£l  objeft,  therefore,  of  the  defigii 
is  to  fupply  motives  and  not  rules,  fanftions  and  not 
precepts.  And  thefe  were  what  mankind  flood 
moft  in  need  of.  The  members  of  civilized  fociety 
can,  in  all  ordinary  cafes,  judge  tolerably  well  how 
they  ought  to  a£l ;  but  without  a  future  flate,  or> 
which  is  the  fame  thing,  without  credited  evidence 
of  that  flate,  they  want  a  motive  to  their  duty  ; 
they  want  at  leaft  flrength  of  motive,  fufficient  to 
bear  up  againft  the  force  of  pafTion,  and  the  temp- 
tation of  prefent  advantage.     Their  rules  want  au- 

*  Great,  and  ineftimably  beneficial  purpofes,  may  be  at- 
tained by  Chrift's  mifiion,  and  efpecially  by  his  death,  which  do 
not  belong  to  Chriftianity  as  a  revelation,  that  is,  they  might 
have  exittcd,  and  they  might  have  been  accomplifhed,  though 
we  had  never,  in  this  life,  have  been  made  acquainted  with 
them. 

thority. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  229 

ihority.  The  moft  important  fervice  that  can  be 
rendered  to  human  life,  and  that,  confcquently, 
which,  one  might  expert  beforehand,  would  be^  the 
arcat  end  and  office  of  a  revelation  from  God,  is  to 
?onvey  to  the  world  authorifed  affurances  ot  the 
reality  of  a  future  exiftence.  And  although,  in 
doing  this,  or  by  the  miniftry  of  the  fame  perfon  by 
which  this  is  done,  moral  precepts,  or  examples, 
or  iUuftrations  of  moral  precepts,  may  be  cjccali^ 
onally  given,  and  be  highly  valuable,  yet  ftill  they 
do  not 'form  the  original  purpofe  of  the  million. 

Secondly,  morality,  neither  in  the  gofpel,  nor  m 
any  other  book,  can  be  a  fubjeft  of  dilcovery,  pro- 
perly  fo  called.     By  which  propofition  I  mean  that 
there  c:^nnot,  in  morality,  be  any  thing  fimilar  to 
^vhat  are  called   difcoveries  in  natural  philolophy, 
in   the   arts  of  life,  and   in  forae  fciences  ;  as  thp 
fyi1:em  of  the  univerfe,  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 
th-  polarity  of  the  magnet,  the  laws  of  gravitation, 
ulphcibetical  writing,  decimal  arithmetic,  and  lome 
other  things  of  the  fame  fort ;  fa^s,  or  proofs,  or 
contrivances,  before  totally  unknown  and  unthought 
of       Whoever    therefore   expefts,  in  reading  the 
New  Teftament,  to  be  ftruck  with   difcoveries  in 
monils,  in  the  manner  in  which  his  mind  was  at- 
fefted,  when  he  firft  came  to  the  knowledge  ol  the 
difcoveries  abovementioned  ;  or  rather  in  the  man- 
ner   in  which    the  world   were  aifefted   by  them, 
when  they  were  firfl:  publilhed  ;  expeOs  what,  as  I 
apprehend,  the  nature  of  the  fubjc^  renders  it  im- 
pofTible  that  he  (hould  meet  with.     And  the  foun- 
dation of  my  opinion  is  this,  that  the  quaht.es  of 
;iaions   depend   entirely  upon    their  efFcfts     which 
clTeas  muft  all  along  have  been  the  fubjec^l  of  human 
experience.  , 

When  it  is  once  fettled,  no  matter  upon  what 
principle,  that  to  do  good  is  virtue,  the  reft  is  cal- 
>        *^    '  Q  ,  culation. 


23®  AVIEWOFTHE 

culatlon.  But  fmce  the  calculation  cannot  be  I'n- 
flituted  concerning  each  particular  action,  we  cfla- 
blifh  intermediate  rules :  by  which  proceeding,  the 
bufinefs  of  morality  is  much  facilitated,  for  then,  it 
is  C(  ncerning  our  rules  alone  that  we  need  enquire, 
whether  in  their  tendency  they  be  beneficial  ;  con- 
cerning our  anions  we  have  only  to  aflc,  whether 
they  be  agreeable  to  the  rules.  We  refer  aftions 
to  rules,  and  rules  to  public  happinefs.  New,  in 
the  formation  of  thefe  rules,  there  is  no  place  for 
difcovery  properly  fo  called,  but  there  is  ample  room 
for  the  exercife  of  wifJom,  judgment,  and  prudence. 

As  I  wiili  to  deliver  argument  rather  than  pane- 
gyric, I  fliall  treat  of  the  morality  of  the  gofpel,  in 
fubje6tion  to  thefe  obfervations.  And  after  ;ill,  I 
think  it  fuch  a  morality,  as,  confidering  from  whom 
it  came,  is  mod  extraordinary  ;  and  fuch,  as,  with- 
out allowing  fomc  degree  of  reality  to  the  charafter 
and  pretenfions  of  the  religion,  it  is  difficult  to  ac- 
count for ;  or  to  place  the  argument  fomewhat 
lower  in  the  fcale,  it  is  fuch  a  morality,  as  com- 
pletely repels  the  fuppofition  of  its  being  the  tradi- 
tion of  a  barbarous  age  or  of  a  barbarous  people, 
of  the  religion  bring  founded  on  folly,  or  of  its 
being  the  production  of  craft ;  and  it  repels  alfo, 
in  a  reat  degree,  the  fuppofition  of  its  having  been 
the  effufion  of  an  enthufiaftic  mind. 

The  divifion,  under  which  the  fubjecl  may  be 
moft  conveniently  treated  of,  is  that  of  the  things 
taught,  and  the  manner  of  te?.ching. 

Under  the  firfl;  head,  I  fliould  willingly,  if  the 
limits  anl  nature  of  my  work  admitted  of  it,  tran- 
fcribe  into  this  chapter  the  whole  of  what  has  been 
f^id  upon  the  morality  of  the  gofpel,  by  the  author 
of  the  internal  evidence  of  Chrijlianity ;  becaufe  it 
perfeftly  agrees  with  my  own  opinion,  and  becaufe 
it  is  impofijble  to  fay  the  fcime  things  fo  well.     This 

acute 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         231 

acute  obfirver  of  human  nature,  and,  as  I  believe, 
fincere  convert  to  Chriflianity,  appears  to  mc  to 
h  ive  made  cut  fatisfaflorily  the  two  following  pro- 
pofiiions,  viz. 

I.  Tnat  the  gofpel  OTiits  feme  qualities,  which 
have  ufually  engaged  the  praifes  and  admiration  of 
mankind,  hut  which,  in  reality,  and  in  their  general 
clicL^s,  have  been  prejudicial  to  human  happincfs. 

II.  That  the  gofpel  has  brought  forward  fome 
virtues,  which  polfcfs  the  higheft  inrrinfic  value,  but 
whl:.h  have  commonly  been  overloyked  and  con- 
temned. 

The  fir!!  of  thefe  propofitions  he  exemplifies,  in 
the  inftaiices  of  friendlhip,  patrioiifn,  a£live  cou- 
rage ;  iu  the  fcnJe  in  which  thefe  qualities  are  ufually 
undrrflood,  and  in  the  conduft  which  they  often 
produce. 

The  fecond,  in  the  inflaTices  of  pa-flive  courage 
or  endurance  of  fufferings,  patience  under  aifronts 
r.n!  injuries,  humility,  irrefiflance,  placability. 

The  truth  is,  there  are  two  oppofite  defcrip- 
tions  of  charafter,  under  which  mankind  m.iy  gene- 
rally be  claiTcd.  The  one  poiTcfTes  vigour,  finrnefs, 
refolution,  is  daring  and  aftive,  quick  in  its  fenfibi- 
lities,  jealous  of  its  fame,  eager  in  its  attachments, 
i.nflexible  in  its  purpofe,  violent  in  its  refentments. 

The  other,  meek,  yielding,  complying,  forgiv- 
ing  ;  not  prompt  to  a6l  but  willing  to  faffer,  fileni 
rjiJ  gentle  under  rudenefs  and  infulr,  fuing  for  re- 
conciliation where  others  would  demand  farisfac- 
tion,  giving  way  to  the  puflics  of  impudence,  con- 
ceding and  indulgent  to  the  prejudices,  the  wrong- 
hcadednefs,  the  intraftability  of  thofe  with  whom 
it  has  to  deal. 

'J'hc  former  of  thtfe  charaft^rs  is,  and  ever  hath 
been,  the  favourite  of  tlie  world.  It  is  the  cha- 
racter of  great  men.  There  is  a  dignity  in  it  which 
univcrfally  commands  rcfpeift. 

C^4  '^'^'^ 


lit  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

The  latter  is  poor  fpirited,  tame,  and  abje£V. 
Yet  fo  it  hath  happened,  that,  with  the  founder  of 
Chriftianity,  this  latter  is  the  fubjecc  of  his  com- 
mendation, his  preceprs,  his  example  ;  and  that  th(5 
forniirr  is  fo,  in  no  part  of  its  corapofition.  This, 
and  nothing  elfe,  is  the  charafter  defigned  in  the 
following  remark-able  pafTages  :  '  Reflil  not  evil,  but 
'  vvhofoever  fliall    fmire  thee  on  the  right   cheek, 

*  turn  to  him  the  other  alfo  ;  and  if  any  man  will 
'  fue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away  thy  coat,  let 
^  him  have  thy  cloak  alfo ;  and  whofoever  ihall 
'  compel  thee  to   go  a  mile,  go  with   him  twain  ; 

*  love  your  enemies,  bl"fs  them  that  curfe  you,  do 
'  gooi  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 

*  which  defpitefuliy  ufc  you  and  perfecure  you.* 
This  certainly  is  not  common-place  morality.  It  is 
very  original.  It  fhows  at  leall  (and  it  is  for  this 
purpofe  we  produce  it)  that  no  two  things  can  be 
more  difFercnt  than  the  heroic  and  the  Chriftian  cha- 
racter. 

Nov/  the  author,  to  whom  I  refer,  has  not  only 
remarked  this  difference  more  flrongly  than  any 
preceding  writer,  but  has  proved,  in  contradiftion 
to  firft  impreffions,  to  popular  opinion,  to  the  enco- 
miums of  orators  and  poets,  and  even  to  the  fuffrages 
of  hidorians  and  moralifh,  that  the  latter  charafter 
pofTcfTcis  the  moil  of  true  worthy  both  as  being  mod 
difHcult  either  to  be  acqu'red  or  fuftained,  and  as 
contributing  mofl:  to  the  happinefs  and  tranquillity 
of  ll)cial  life.  The  ftate  of  his  argument  is  as  fol- 
3ows  : 

I.  If  this  difpofition  were  univerfal,  the  cafe  is 
clear :  the  v/orld  would  be  a  fociety  of  friends. 
Whereas,  if  the  other  difpofition  were  univerfal, 
it  would  produce  a  fcene  of  univerfal  contention. 
The  world  could  not  hold  a  generation  of  fuch  men. 

II.  If,  what  is  the  fa£l,  the  difpofition  be  par- 
.tial  J  if  a  few  be  afluated  by  it,  amongft  a  multitude 

who 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  233 

who  are  nor,  in  whatever  degree  it  does  prevail,  in 
the  fame  proportion  it  prevents,  allays,  and  termi- 
nates quarrels,  'he  great  difturbers  of  human  happi- 
nefs,  and  the  great  f  purees  of  human  mifery,  fo  far 
as  man's  happinefs  and  mifery  depend  upon  man. 
Without  this  difpofition  enmities  muft  not  only  be 
frequent,  but,  once  begun,  muft  be  eternal;  for  eacli 
rei.'li.uion  beintr  a  frcfli  injury,  and  confequently, 
requiring  a  frefli  fatisfadion^  no  period  can  be  al- 
figncd  to  the  reciprocation  of  affronts,  and  to  the 
progrtfs  of  hatred,  but  that  which  clofes  the  lives, 
or  at  lead  the  intercourfe,  of  the  parties. 

I  would  only  fidd  to  thefe  obfervarions,  that  al- 
thou;:^h  the  former  of  the  ^wo  characters  above  dc- 
fcribcd  may  be  occafionally  ufelul,  although,  per- 
haps, a  great  general,  or  a  great  ftatefman  may  be 
formed  by  it,  and  thefe  may  be  inflruments  of  im- 
portant benefits  to  mankind,  yet  is  this  nothing  more 
than  what  is  true  of  many  qualities,  which  arc  ac- 
knowledged to  be  vicious.  Envy  is  a  quality  of  thij 
fort.  I  know  not  a  Ilronc^er  ftim.ulus  to  exertion. 
Many  a  fcholar,  many  an  artift,  many  a  foldier  has 
been  produ'  ed  by  it.  Neverthclefs,  fince  in  its  ge- 
neral effects  it  is  noxious,  it  is  properly  condemned, 
certainly  is  not  praifed,  by  fober  moralifts. 

I*  was  a  portion  of  the  fame  charafler  as  that  we 
are  defending,  or  rather  of  his  love  of  the  fame  cha- 
racter, which  our  Saviour  difplayed,  in  his  repeated 
correction  of  the  ambition  of  his  difciples  ;  his  fre- 
quent admonitions,  that  greatncfs  with  them  was  to 
confift  in  humility  ;  his  cenfure  of  that  love  of  dif- 
tinftion,  and  grccdinefs  of  fuperiority,  which  the 
chief  perfons  amongd  his  countrymen  were  wont, 
on  all  occafions,  great  and  little,  to  betray,  *  They 
'  (the  Scribes   and   Pharifecs)   love   the  uppermoft 

*  rooms  at  feafts,  and  the  chief  fears  in  the  fyna- 

*  gogues,  and  greetings  in  the  markets,  and  to  be 

'  called 


234  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

*  called  of  men,  Rabbi,  Rabbi.  But  be  not  yc 
'  called  Rabbi,  for  one  is  your  mader,  even  Chrilt:, 

*  and  all  ye  are  brethren  ;  and  call  no  man  your 
'  father  upon  the  earth,  for  one  is  your  father,  which 
'  is  in  heaven  ;   neither  be  ye  called  maflers,  for  one 

*  is  your  mafler,  even  Chrift  ;  but  he  that  is  greateft 
'  amongft  you  fha'.l  be  your  fervanr,  and  whofoevcr 

*  {liall  exalt  himfelf  fhall  be  abafed,  and  he  thatfliall 
'  hitmble  liimfelf  (hall  be  exalted*.'  I  make  no 
farther  remark  upon  thefe  paiTages,  (becaufe  ihey 
nre,  in  truth,  only  a  repetition  of  the  doftrine,  dif- 
ferent exprelTions  of  the  principle,  which  we  have 
already  flated)  except  that  fome  of  the  paffages, 
cfpccially  our  Lord's  advice  to  the  guefts  at  an  en- 
tertainment, (Luke  xiv.  7.)  feem  to  extend  the  rule 
to  what  we  call  manners ;  Vv'hich  was,  both  regular 
in  point  of  confiflency,  and  not  fo  much  beneath 
the  dignity  of  our  Lord's  mifficn  as  may  at  firft  fight 
be  fuppofed,  for  bad  manners  are  bad  morals. 

It  is  fufticiently  apparent,  that  the  precepts  w-e 
have  recited,  or  rather  the  difpofition  which  thefe 
precepts  inculcate,  relate  to  perfonal  conduft  from 
pcrfonal  motives  ;  to  cafes  in  which  men  aft  from 
impulfe,  for  themfclves  and  from  themfelves.  When 
it  comes  to  be  cor.fidcred,  what  is  neceflary  to  be 
done  for  the  fake  of  the  public,  and  out  of  a  regard 
to  the  general  welfare,  (which  confideration,  for  the 
rnoft  part,  ought  exclufively  to  govern  the  duties  of 
men  in  public  ftations)  it  comes  to  a  cafe  to  which  the 
rules  do  not  belong.  This  diftin^iion  is  plain  ;  and, 
if  it  were  lefs  fo,  the  confequence  would  not  be 
much  felt,  for  ir  is  very  feldom  that,  in  the  inter- 
courfe  of  private  life,  men  aft  with  public  views. 
The  perfonal  motives,  from  which  they  do  aft,  the 
rule  regulates. 

Mat.  xxiii   6.  See  alio  Mark  xii.  39.  Luke  xx  43,  xiv.  7. 

The 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  235 

The  preference  of  the  paiient  to  the  heroic  cha- 
mber, which  we  have  here  noticed,  and  which  the 
render  will  find  explained  at  large  in  the  work  to 
which  we  have  referred  him,  is  a  peculiarity  in  the 
Chriflian  inflirution,  which  I  propofe  as  an  argnmenc 
of  wifdom,  very  much  beyond  the  fituaiion  and  na- 
tural character  of  the  perfon  who  delivered  it. 

II.  A  fecond  argument  drawn  from  the  morality 
of  the  New  'J  eflament,  is  the  flrefs  which  is  laid 
by  our  Saviour  upon  ihe  regulation  of  the  thouj^hts. 
And  I  place  this  confideratior,  next  to  the  other, 
becaufe  they  are  conne£led.  The  other  related  to 
the  mi'.licious  palTions,  this  to  the  voluptuous.  To- 
gether they  comprehend  the  whole  charafter. 

'  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts,  murders, 

*  adulteries,  fornications,  &:c. — Thefc  are  the  tilings 

*  which  defile  a  man.'     Mat.  tv.  19. 

*  Wo  unto  you,  fcribes  and  phirifees,  hypocriter, 
'  for  ye   make  clean  the  outfide  of  the  cup  and  of 

*  the  platter,  but  ivifbin  they  are  full  of  extortion 
'  and  exccfs. — Ye  are  like  unto  whited  fepulchres, 
'  which  indeed   appear  beautiful  outward,  but  are 

*  witliin  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  of  all  unclean* 

*  ncfs  ;   even  fo  ye  alfo  outwardly  appear  righteous 

*  unto  men,  but  ivithin  ye  are  full  of  hypocrify  and 

*  iniquity'.      Mat.  xxiii.  25,  27. 

And  mere  particularly  that  Itrong  exprcffion  (Mar. 
V.  28,)  '  whofoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  luff; 
'  after  her,  hath  committed   adultery  with  her  al- 

*  ready  in  his  heart.' 

There  can  be  no  doubt  with  any  relieving  mind, 
but  that  the  propenfities  of  our  nature  mufl  be  fub- 
je£led  to  regulation  ;  but  the  quellion  is,  where  the 
check  ought  to  be  placed,  upon  the  thought,  or 
only  upon  action.  In  this  queffion,  our  Saviour,  in 
the  texts  here  quoted,  has  pronounced  a  decifive 
judgment.     He  makes  the  control  of  thought  eflen- 

tiah 


53^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

tial.  Internal  purity  with  him  is  every  thing.  Now 
1  contend  that  this  is  the  only  difcipline  which 
can  fucceed  ;  in  other  words,  that  a  moral  fyflem, 
which  prohibits  a61-ions,  but  leaves  the  t'^oughts  at 
liberty,  will  be  ineffeftual,  and  is  therefore  unwife. 
I  know  not  hov/  to  go  about  the  proof  of  a  point, 
which  depends  upon  experience,  ai-id  upon  a  know- 
ledge of  the  human  confliiution,  better  than  by 
citing  the  judgment  of  perfons,  who  appear  to  have 
given  great  attention  to  the  fuhje£l,  and  to  be  well 
qualified  to  form  a  true  opinion  about  it.  Boer- 
haave,  fpeaking  of  this  very  declaration  of  our  Sa- 
viour, '  whofoever  looketh  on  a  woman  to  luli^  attcr 
'  her  hath  already  committed  adultery  with  her  in 
'  his  heart,*  and  undenlanding  it,  as  we  do,  to  con- 
tain an  injunftion  to  lay  the  clieck  upon  the  thoughts, 
was  wont  to  fav,  that  '  our  Saviour  knew  mankind 
'  better  than  Socrates.*  Haller,  who  has  recorded 
this  fiiying  of  Boerhaave's,  adds  to  it  the  following 
remnrks  of  his  own*:   '  It  did  not  efcape  the  obf^r- 

*  vation  of  our  Saviour,  that  the  rejection  of  any 
'  evil  thoughts  was  the  befl:  defence  againft  vice  ;  for 
'  when  a  debauched  perfon  fills  his  imagination  with 

*  impure  pictures,  the  ficentious  ideas  which  he  re- 
'  calls,  fail  not  to  Rimulatc  his  defires  with  2  degree 

*  of  violence  which  he  cannot  refill.  This  will  be  fol- 

*  lowed  by  gratincation,  unlef^  fome  external  obflacle 
'  fliould  prevent  him  from  the  comraifnon  of  a  fm 

*  Avhich  he  had  internally  refolved  on.'     *  Every  mo- 

*  ment  of  time  (fays  our  author),  that  is  fpent  in  me- 

*  ditations  upon  fin,  increafes  the  power  of  the  dan- 
'  gcrous  objeft  which  has  pofTefled  our  imagination.* 

*  I  fuppofe  thefe  refieftions  v/ill  be  generally  affented 
'  to. 

III.  Thirdly,  had  a  teacher  of  morality  been  aflced 
concerning  a  general  principle  of  conduft,  and  for  a 

*  Letters  to  his  daughter. 

(Iiort 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  237 

fliort  rule  of  life ;  and  had  he  inftruaed  the  pcrfon 
who  confuhed  him,  '  confbinily  to  refer  his  aaions 
«  to  what  he  bdievcd  to  be  the  will  of  his  Creator, 

*  and  coidhmtly  to  have  in  view,  not  his  own  intcreft 

*  and    graiification   alone,    but    the   happinefs   and 
«  comfort  of  thcfe  about  him,'  he  would  have  been 
thought,  I  doubt  not,  in  any  age  of  the  world,  and 
in  any,  even  the  moll  improved  ftate  of  morals,  to 
have  delivered  a  judicious  anfwcr  ;  becaufe,  by  the 
firft  direaion,  he  fuggciled  the  only  moiive  which 
aOs  lleadily  and  uniformly,  in  fight  and  out  of  fight, 
in  farailicir  occurrences   and  under  prefling  tempta- 
tions ;  and  in  the  fecond,  he  correfted,  what,  of  all 
tendencies  in  the  human  charaftcr,  ftands  moft  in 
need  of  correaion,  fclfijhnefs^  a  contempt  of  other 
men's   conveniency  and  fatisfaftion.     In  eftimating 
the  value  of  a  moral  rule,  we  nre  10  have  regard,  not 
only  to  the  particular  duty,  but  the  general  fpirit ; 
not  only  to  what  it  dire^s  us  to  do,  but  to  the  cba- 
rafter  which  a  compliance  with  its  direftion  is  likely 
to  form  in  us.     So,  in  the  prefent  inftance,  the  rule 
here  recited  will  never  fail  to  make  hira  who  obeys 
it,  confideralc^  not  only  of  the   rights,  but^  of  ths 
feelings  of  other  men,  bodily  and  mental,  in  great 
matters  and  in  fmall,  of  the  eafe,  the  accommodation, 
the  felf-complacency  of  all  with  whom  he  has  any 
concern,  efpecially  of  all  who  are  in  his  power,  or 
dependent  upon  his  will. 

Now  what,  in  the  molt  applauded  philofopher  of 
tihe  moll  enlightened  age  of  the  world,  would  have 
been  deemed  worthy  of  his  wifdom,  and  of  his  cha- 
rafler,  to  fay,  our  Saviour  hath  faid,  and  upon  juil 
fuch  an  occalion  as  that  which  we  have  feigned.  ^ 

'  Then  one  of  them,  which  was  a  lawyer,  aikci 
«  him  a  queftion,  tempting  him,  and  faying,  Mailer, 
'  which  is  the  great  coinmandment  in  the  law.?  Jefus 
*  faid  unto  him,  Thou  flialt  love  the  Lord  thy  Go<3, 


238  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  wiih  all  thy  heart,  and  with  :ill  thy  foul,  and  with 
'  all  thy  mind  ;   this  is  the  firfl  and  great  coramand- 

*  ment ;  and  the  lecond  is  like  unto  it,  thou  fhalt 
'  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyfelf :  on  thefe  two  com- 
'  mandments  hang  ail  the  law  and'  the  prophets.* 
Mat.  xxii.  35--40. 

The  fecond  precept  occurs  in  St.  Matthew,  on 
another  occafion  fimilar  to  this  (xix.  16.),  and  both 
of  thtm  upon  a  third  fimilar  occaficn  in  Luke  (x.  27.) 
In  thefe  two  latter  inftances,  the  queftion  propoied 
was,  '  what  fliall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ?* 

Upon  all  thefe  occafions,  I  corfiJer  the  words  of 
our  Saviour  as  expreiling  precifely  the  fame  xhm^  as 
what  I  have  put  into  the  mouth  of  the  moral  philo- 
fopher.  Nor  do  I  think  that  it  derr-ifls  much  from 
the  merit  of  the  anfwer,  that  thefe  prec  pts  are  ex- 
tant in  the  Mofaic  code  ;  for  his  laying  his  finger,  if" 
I  may  fo  fay,  upon  thefe  precepts,  his  drawing  them 
out  from  the  reft  of  that  voluminous  inflitution,  his 
Hating  of  them,  not  fimply  amongft  the  number,  but  as 
the  greateft  and  the  fum  of  all  the  others,  in  a  word, 
his  propofmg  of  them  to  his  hearers  for  their  rule 
and  principle,  was  our  Saviour's  own. 

And  what  our  Saviour  had  faid  upon  the  fubjeft, 
appears  to  me  to  have  ^xed  the  fentiment  amongfl: 
his  followers. 

St.  Paul  has  it  exprefsly,  '  if  there  be  any  other 

*  commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this 

*  faying,  thou  flialt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyfelf*;' 
and  again,  '  tor  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word, 
'  even  in  this,  thou  (halt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 
felff.' 

St.  John,  in  like  manner,  *  this  commandment 
'  have  we  from  him,  that  he  who  loveth  God,  love 
'  his  brother  alio  |.* 

^  Rom.  xiii.  7.         -{•  Gal.  v.  14.         J   1  John  iv.  21. 

St. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  23^ 

St.  Peter,  not  very  dilFerently,  '  feeing  that  yc 

*  have    purified    your    fouls   in   obeying   the   truth, 

*  through   the   fpirit,   unto   unfeigned  love    of  the 

*  brethren,  fee  that  yc  love  one  another  with  a  purs 

*  heart  fervently  §.' 

.^\nd  It  is  fo  well  known,  as  to  require  no  citations 
to  verify  it,  that  this  love,  or  charity,  or,  in  other 
words,  regard  to  the  welfare  of  others,  runs  iii 
varioiJs  forms  through  all  the  preceptive  parts  of  the 
apoftolic  writings.  It  is  the  theme  of  all  their  exhor- 
tations, that  with  which  their  morality  begins  and 
ends,  from  which  ail  their  details  and  enumerations 
fet  out,  and  into  which  they  return. 

And  that  this  temper,  for  foms  time  at  leaf:, 
defcending  in  its  purity  to  fucceedin_^  Chriliians,  is 
atteiled  by  one  of  the  earlieft  and  beft  of  the  remain- 
ing writings  of  the  apoftolical  fathers,  the  epiitle  of 
the  Roman  Clement.  The  meeknefs  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  charafter  reigns  throughout  the  whole  of  that 
excellent  piece.  The  occafion  called  for  ir.  It  was 
to  compofe  the  diifenfions  of  the  church  of  Corinth. 
And  the  venerable  hearer  of  the  apoltles  does  not  fall 
Ihort,  in  the  difplay  of  this  principle,  of  the  fineft 
paiTages  of  their  v/ritings.  He  calls  to  the  remem- 
brance of  the  Corinthian  church  its  former  character, 
in  which  '  ye  were  all  of  you  (he  tells  them)  humble 
'  minded,  not  boafting  of  any  thing,  dcnring  rather 
'  to   be  fubjeffl  than    to  govern,  to   give   than    ui 

*  receive,  being  content  with  the  portion  God  had 
'  difpenfed  to  yon,  and  hcrarkcning  diliqenily  to  hij 

*  word,  ye  were  enlarged  in  your  bowels,  having  his 
'  lutlering  always  before  your  eyes.  Ye  contended 
'  day  and  night  tor  the  whole  brotherhood,  that  witli 
'  compaffion  and  a  good  confciencc  the  number  of 

*  his  clefl  might  be  faved.     Ye  were   iincere,   aci 


I    P-t.    1.    72. 

'wi.hci:: 


a4»  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  without  offence,  towards  each  other.  Ye  bewailed 
'  every  one  his  neighbours  fins,  efteeming  their  de- 

*  fefts  your  own*.*  His  prayer  for  thrm  was  for 
the  *  return  of  peace,  long-fuffering,  and  patience |.* 
And  his  advice  to  thofe,  who  might  h;ive  1  e /n  the 
occafion  of  difference  in  the  fccie  y,  is  conceived  in 
the  true  fpirit,  and  with  a  perfe«ft  knowledge  of  the 
Chriftian   character.     '  Who   is   there  amon;.^   you 

*  that  is  generous?  Who  that  is  conipaffioriatc?  Who 

*  that  has  any  charity?  Let  hm  fay,  if  this  fedition, 
'  this  contention,  and  thefc  fchifms,  be  upon  my  ac- 
'  count,  1  am  ready  to  depart,  to  go  away  whither- 
'  foever    ye    pleafe,    and    do    whatfoever   ye    fliall 

*  command  me,    only   let    the   flock    of   Chrift   be 

*  in  peace,  with  the  elders  v/ho  are  fet  over  it.  He 
'  that  fliall  do  this,  fliall  get  to  hin  felf  a  very  great 
'  honour  in   the   Lord;   and  there  is  no  pl.^ce  but 

*  what  will  be  ready  to  receive  hiin,  for  the  t-?rrh  is 
'  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulnefs  thereof.      Thefe  things 

*  they,  who  have  their  converfation  towards  God, 

*  not  to  be  repented  of,  both  have  done,  and  will 

*  always  be  ready  to  do  J.* 

This  facred  principle,  this  earned:  recommendation 
of  forbearance,  lenity,  and  forgivenefs,  mixes  with 
all  the  writings  of  that  age.  There  are  more  quo- 
tations in  the  apodolic  fathers  of  texts  which  relate 
to  thefe  points,  than  of  any  other.  Chrifl's  fayings 
had  (truck  x}]em.  '  Not  rendering  (fays  Polycarp, 
'  the  difciple  of  John)  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for 
'  railing,  or  ilriking  for  (Iriking,  or  curfmg  for  cur- 

*  rmg"§.*  Again,  fpeaking  of  fome  whofe  behaviour 
had  given  great  offence,  '  Be  ye  moderate  (fays  he) 

*  upon  this  occafion,  and  look  not  upon  fuch  as  ene- 

*  Ep.  Clem.  Rom.  c.  2.  A.  B.  Wake's  Tranflation. 
t  lb,  c.  58.         :j:  lb.  c.  54.         §  Pol.  ep.  ad  Phil.  c.  2. 

2  <  mies. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  241 

«  mles,  but  call  them  back  as  fuffering  and  erring 
«  members,  that  ye  fave  your  whole  body*.* 

*  Be  ye  mild  at  their  anger  (faith  Ignatius,  the 
«  companion  of  Polycarp),  humble  at  their  boaftings, 

*  to  their  blafphemies  return  your  prayers,  to  their 
«  error  your  firmncfs  in  the  faith;  when  they  are 

*  cruel,  be  ye  gentle;  not  endeavouring  to  imitate 

*  their  ways,  let  us  be  their  brethren  in  all  kindnefs 

*  and  moderation,   but  let  us  be  followers  of  the 

*  Lord,  for  who  was  ever  more  unjuftly  ufcd,  more 

*  deftitute,  more  defpifed  ?* 

IV.  A  fourth  quality,  by  which  the  morality  of 
the  gofpel  is  diftinguilhed,  is  the  exclufion  of  regard 
to  fame  and  reputation. 

«  Take  heed  that  ye  do  not  your  alms  before  men, 

*  to  be  feen  of  them,  otherwise  ye  have  no  reward 

*  of  your  father  which  is  in  heaven  f.* 

«  When  thou  prayed,  enter  into  thy  clofet,  and 
<  when  thou  haft  (hut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy  father 
'  which  is  in  fecret;  and  thy  father,  which  feeth  in 
«  fccrct,  fliall  reward  thee  openly].* 

And  the  rule  by  parity  of  reafon  is  extended  to  all 
other  virtues. 

I  do  not  think,  that  either  in  ihefe,  or  in  any 
other  pafTage  of  the  New  Teftament,  the  purfuit  of 
fame  is  ftated  as  a  vice;  it  is  only  fjiid  that  an  aftion, 
to  be  virtuous,  muft  be  independent  of  it.  I  would 
alfo  obferve,  that  it  is  not  publicity,  but  oftentation 
which  is  prohibited;  not  the  mode,  but  the  motive 
of  the  a£lion,  which  is  regulated.  A  good  man  will 
prefer  that  mode,  as  well  as  thofe  objefts  of  his 
beneficence,  by  which  he  can  produce  the  greateft 
effe£l;  and  the  view  of  this  purpofe  may  diftate 
fometimes  publication,  and  fomeiimes  concealment. 
Either  the  one  or  the  orher  may  be  the  mode  ot 
the  a6lion,  according  as  the  end  to  be  promoted  by 

*  Pol.  F.p.  ad  Phil.  CM.     \  Mat.  vi.  i.     X  Mat.  vi.  6. 

R  in 


24?  A  VIEW  OF  TK£ 

it  appears  to  require.  But  from  the  motive,  the  re- 
putation of  the  deed,  and  the  fruits  and  advantage 
of  thiit  reputation  to  ourfelves,  muft  be  iliut  out,  or, 
in  whatever  proportion  they  are  not  (o,  the  aftion  in 
that  proportion  fails  of  being  virtuous. 

This  exclufion  of  regard  to  human  opinion,  is  a 
difference,  not  fo  much  in  the  duties,  to  which  the 
teachers  of  virtue  would  perfuade  mankin'^,  as  in  the 
manner  and  topics  of  perfuaficrii.  And  in  this  view 
the  difference  is  great.  When  ive  fet  about  to  give 
advice,  our  leftures  are  full  of  the  advantages  of 
charafter,  of  the  regard  that  is  due  to  appearances 
and  to  opinion;  of  what  the  world,  efpecially  of 
what  the  good  or  great,  will  think  and  fay;  of  the 
value  of  public  efteem,  and  of  the  qualities  by  which 
men  acquire  it.  Widely  different  from  this  was  our 
Saviour's  inn:ru£l:ion:  and  the  difference  was  founded 
upon  the  bed  reafons.  For,  however  the  care  of 
reputation,  the  authority  of  public  opinion,  or  even 
of  the  opinion  of  good  men,  the  fatisfaclion  of  being 
well  received  and  well  thought  of,  the  benefit  of 
being  known  and  diftinguiflied,  are  topics,  to  which 
we  are  fain  i-o  have  recourfe  in  our  exhortations,  the 
true  virtue  is  that  which  difcards  thefe  confiderations 
abfolutely;  and  which  retires  from  them  all  to  the 
fmgle  internal  purpofe  of  pleafmg  God.  This  at 
lead  was  the  virtue  which  our  Saviour  taught.  And 
in  teaching  of  this,  he  not  only  confined  the  views 
of  his  followers  to  the  proper  meafure  and  principle 
bf  human  duty,  but  afted  in  confillency  with  his 
office  as  monitor  from  heaven. 

Next  to  what  our  Saviour  taught,  may  be  confi- 
dered  the  manner  of  his  teaching  ;  which  was  ex- 
tremely peculiar,  yet,  1  think,  precifely  adapted  to 
the  peculiarity  of  his  charafter  and  fituation.  His 
leffons  did  not  confifl:  of  difquifitions ;  of  any  thing 
like  moral  cffays,  or  like  fcrmons,  or  like  fet  trea- 

tifes 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  24.^ 

tifes  upon  t'le  feveral  points  which  he  mentioned* 
When  he  delivered  a  precept,  it  was  feldom  that  he 
added  any  proof  or  argument ;  ftill  feldomcr,  thai- 
he  accompanied  it  with,  what  all  precepts  require, 
limitations  and  diftindions.  His  inftrufStions  were 
conceived  in  Ihort  emphatic  rules,  in  occafional  re- 
flections, or  in  round  maxims.  I  do  not  think  that 
this  v.'?is  a  natural,  or  would  have  been  a  proper 
method,  for  a  philofopher  or  a  moralift ;  or  that  it 
is  a  method  which  can  be  fuccefsfully  imitated  by 
us.  But  I  contend  that  it  was  fuicable  to  the  cha- 
racter which  Chrift  ufTumed,  and  to  the  Ijtuaiion  in 
which,  as  a  teacher,  he  was  placed.  He  produced 
himfelf  as  a  meiTcnger  from  God.  He  put  the  truth 
of  what  he  taught  upon  auihority.  In  tiie  choice, 
therefore,  of  his  mode  of  teaching,  the  purpofe  by 
him  to  be  confulted  was  imprejjion  ;  becaufe  convic- 
tion, which  forms  the  principal  end  of  our  difcourfes, 
was  to  arife  in  the  minds  of  his  followers  from  a  dif- 
ferent fource,  from  their  rtfpcft  to  his  perfon  and 
authority.  Now,  for  the  purpofe  of  imprtllion 
fmgly  and  exclufively  (I  repeat  again,  that  we  are 
not  here  to  confider  the  convincing  of  the  under- 
ft^nding)  I  know  nothing  which  would  have  fo  great 
force,  as  ftrong  ponderous  maxims,  frequently 
urged,  and  frequently  brought  back  to  the  thoughts 
of  the  hearers.  1  know  nothing  that  could  in  this 
view  be  faid  better,  than  '  do  unto  others,  as  ye 

*  would  that  others  fliould  do  unto  you  ;  the  firft 
'  and   great  commandment  is,  thou   (lialt  love  the 

*  Lord  thy  God  ;  and  the  fccond  is  like  unto  it,  thou 

*  fhalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyfclf.'  It  mull  alfo 
be  reinembered,  that  our  Lord's  miniftry,  upon 
the  fuppofition  cithc  r  of  one  year  or  of  three,  com- 
pared with  his  work,  was  oi  iliort  duration  ;  that, 
within  this  time,  he  had  many  places  to  vilit,  va- 
rious audiences  to  addrefs ;  tnat  his  perfon  was  ge- 

R  2  nerally 


244  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

iierally  befieged  by  crowds  of  followers,  that  he  was, 
fomcrimes,  driven  away  from  the  place  where  he 
was  teaching  by  perfecution,  and,  at  other  times, 
thought  fit  to  withdraw  himfelf  from  the  commotions 
of  the  populace.  Under  thefe  circumftances,  no- 
thing appears  to  have  been  fo  pradicable,  or  likely 
to  be  fo  efficacious,  as  leaving,  wherever  he  came, 
concife  lefTons  of  duty.  Thefe  circumftances  at  leafl: 
fhow  the  necelfity  he  was  under  of  comprifing  what 
he  delivered  in  a  fmall  compafs.  In  particular,  his 
fermon  upon  the  mount  ought  always  to  be  confider- 
ed  with  a  view  to  thefe  obfervations.  The  queftion 
is  not,  whether  a  fuller,  a  more  accurate,  a  more 
fyftematic,  or  a  more  argumentative  difcourfe  upon 
morals  might  not  have  been  pronounced,  but  whe- 
ther more  could  have  been  faid  in  the  fame  room, 
better  adapted  to  the  exigencies  of  the  hearers,  or 
better  calculated  for  the  purpofe  of  impreflion.  Seen 
in  this  light,  it  hath  always  appeared  to  me  to  be 
admirable.  Dr.  Lardner  thought  that  this  difcourfe 
was  made  up  of  what  Chrifl  had  faid  at  different 
times,  and  upon  different  occafions,  feveral  of  which 
occafions  are  noticed  in  St.  Luke's  narrative.  I  can 
perceive  no  reafon  for  this  opinion.  I  believe  that 
our  Lord  delivered  this  difcourfe  at  one  time  and 
place,  in  the  manner  related  by  St.  Matthew,  and 
that  he  repeated  the  fame  rules  and  maxims  at  differ- 
ent times,  as  opportunity  or  occafion  fuggefted  ;  that 
they  were  often  in  his  mouth,  were  repeated  to  dif- 
ferent audiences,  and  in  various  converfations. 

It  is  incidental  to  this  mode  of  moral  inftru^lion, 
which  proceeds  not  by  proof  but  lipon  authority, 
not  by  difquifition  but  by  precept,  that  the  rules 
will  be  conceived  in  abfoiute  terms,  leaving  the  ap- 
plication, and  the  diftinftions  that  attend  it,  to  the 
reafon  of  the  hearer.  It  is  likewife  to  be  expe(fted 
that  they  will  be  delivered  in  terms,  by  fo  much  the 

more 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  245 

more  forcible  and  energetic,  as  they  have  to  encoun- 
ter natural  or  general  propenfities.  It  is  further  alfo 
to  be  remarked,  that  many  of  thofe  ftrong  inftanccs, 
which  appear  in  our  Lord's  fermon,  fuch  as  '  if  any 

*  man  will  fmite  thee  on  the  right  cheek,  turn  to  him 
'  the  other  alfo  ;  if  any  man  will  fue  thee  at  the  law, 

*  and  take  aWay  thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy  cloke 
'  alfo ;  whofoever  fliall  compel  thee  to  go  a  mile, 

*  go  with  him  twain  ;'  though  they  appear  in  the 
form  of  fpecific  precepts,  are  intended  as  defcriptive 
of  difpofition  and  chara(51:er.  A  fpecific  compliance 
with  the  precepts  would  be  of  little  value,  but  the 
difpofition  which  they  inculcate  is  of  the  higheft. 
He  who  would  content  himfelf  with  wailing  for  the 
occafion,  and  with  literally  obferving  the  rule  when 
the  occafion  oiFered,  would  do  nothing,  or  worfe 
than  nothing ;  but  he  who  confiders  the  charafler 
and  difpofition  which  is  hereby  inculcated,  and  places 
that  difpofition  before  him  as  the  model  to  which  he 
ftiould  bring  his  own,  takes,  perhaps,  the  bed  pof- 
fible  method  of  improving  the  benevolence,  and  of 
calming  and  reftifying  the  vices  of  his  temper.  If 
it  be  faid  that  this  difpofition  is  unattainable,  I  anfwer, 
fo  is  all  perfe<flion ;  ought  therefore  a  moralifl:  to 
recommend  imperfeftions  ?  One  excellency,  how- 
ever, of  our  Saviour's  rules  is,  that  they  are  either 
never  miftaken,  or  never  fo  miftaken  as  to  do  harm, 
I  could  feign  a  hundred  cafes,  in  which  the  literal 
application  of  the  rule,  '  of  doing  to  others  as  we 

*  would  that  others  iliould  do  unto  us,'  might  mif- 
lead  us ;  but  I  never  yet  met  with  the  man  who  was 
aflually  mifled  by  it.  Notwiihftanding  that  our  Lord 
bid  his  followers  '  not  to  refill  evil,*  and  '  to  forgive 

*  the  enemy,  who  fliould  trefpafs  againfl:  them,  not 
'  till  feven  times  but  till  fevcnty  times  feven,*  the 
Chriftian  world  has  hitherto  fuffcred  little  by  too 
much  placability  or  forbearance.     I  would  repeat 

R  3  once 


2^6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

once  more,  what  h;is  already  been  twice  remarked, 
that  thefe  rules  were  defi^jned  to  regulate  perfonal 
conduft  from  perfonal  motives,  and  for  this  purpofe 
alone. 

I  think  that  thcfe  obfervations  will  afliil  us  greatly 
in  placing  our  Saviour's  conduft,  as  a  moral  teacher, 
in  a  proper  point  of  view  ;  cfpecially  when  it  is  con- 
fid  ered,  that  to  deliver  moral  difquifitions  was  no 
part  of  his  defign,  to  teach  morality  at  all  was  only 
a  fubordinare  part  of  it,  his  great  bulinefs  being  to 
fupply,  what  was  much  more  wanting  than  lefTons 
of  morality,  (Irongcr  moral  fan£lions,  and  clearer  af- 
furances  of  a  future  judgment*. 

The  parables  of  the  New  Teftament  are,  many  of 
them,  fuch  as  v/ould  have  done  honour  to  any  book 
in  the  world,  I  do  not  mean  in  ftyle  and  diftion,  but 
in  the  choice  of  the  fubjefts,  in  the  ftrufture  of  the 
narrative,  in  the  aptntfs,  propriety,  and  force  of 
the  circumftances  woven  into  them  ;  and  in  fome, 
as  that  of  the  good  Samaritan,  the  prodigal  fon,  the 
pharifee  and  the  publican,  in  an  union  of  pathos  and 
fnnplicity,  which,  in  the  beft  productions  of  human 

*  Some  appear  to  require  in  a  religious  fyilem,  or  in  the 
books  which  prcfc-fs  to  deliver  that  fy Item,  minute  diredlions 
lor  every  cafe  and  occurrence  that  may  arife.  This,  fay  they, 
is  necciTary  to  ren>ier  a  revelation  perfedl,  efpecially  one  which 
has  for  its  objeft  the  regulation  of  human  condudl.  Now, 
how  prolix,  and  yet  how  incomplete  and  unavailing,  fuch  an 
attempt  muft  have  been,  is  proved  by  one  notable  example, 

*  The  Hindoo  and  Muifulman  religion  are  inftitutes  of  civil 

*  law,  regulating  the  minuteft  queftions  both  of  property,  and 

*  of  all  queltion;;  which  come  under  the  cognizance  of  the  ma- 

*  giftrate.     And  to  what  length  details  of  this  kind  are  necef- 

*  f.irily  carried,  when  once  begun,  may  be  underftood  from 

*  an  anecdote  of  the  Muffulman  code,  which  we  have  received 

*  from  the  moft  refpedtable  authority,  that  not  lefs  than  ftventy- 
* fve  thovfand  traditi(  nal  precepts  have  been  promulgated.* 
Hamilton's  tranflation  of  the  Hedaya,  or  Guide. 

genius. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  lt^ 

genius,  is  the  fruit  only  oF  a  much  cxereifcd  and 
well  cultivateil  judgment. 

Tbe  LorcVs  Prayer,  for  a  fucceflion  of  folemn 
thouglits.  for  fixing  the  attention  upon  a  few  greac 
points,  for  fuitablcnefs  to  every  condition,  for  fuffi- 
ciency,  for  concifenefs  without  obfcurity,  for  the 
weight  and  real  importance  of  its  petitions,  is  with- 
out an  equal  or  a  rival. 

Fiom  v/hence  did  thefe  come?  Whence  had  this 
man  h's  wifdom  ?  Was  our  Saviour,  iu  faft,  a  well- 
inftrii£led  philofophcr,  whilft  he  is  reprefented  to  us 
as  ;m  illiterate  peafant  ?  Or  (liall  we  fiy  that  fomc 
early  Chril^ians  of  taftc  and  education  compofed  chefc 
pieces,  and  afcribed  them  to  Chrift  ?  Befide  all  other 
incredibilities  in  thii  account,  I  anfwer,  with  Dr. 
Jortin,  thcit  they  could  not  do  it.  No  fpccimcns  of 
compofition,  which  the  Chriftians  of  the  firrt:  century 
have  left  us,  authorize  us  to  believe  that  ihey  were 
equal  to  the  talk.  And  how  little  qualified  the  Jews, 
the  countrymen  and  companions  of  Chrift,  were  to 
afliil  him  in  the  undertaking,  may  be  judged  of  from 
the  traditions  and  writings  of  theirs  which  were  the 
Reared:  to  that  age.  The  whole  rolleftion  of  the 
Talmud  is  one  continued  proof,  into  what  follies  they 
fell  whenever  they  left  their  Bible  ;  and  how  little 
capable  they  were  of  farniihing  out  fuch  ledons  as 
Chrift  delivered. 

But  there  is  dill  another  view,  in  which  our 
Lord's  difcourfes  deferve  to  be  confidercd  ;  and  that 
is,  in  their  negative  character,  not  in  what  they  did, 
but  in  what  they  did  not  contain.  Under  this  head, 
the  following  reflections  appear  to  mc  to  pofTefs  fome 
weight. 

I.  They  exhibit  no  particular  dcfcription  of  the 

invifible  world.     The  future  happincfs  of  the  good, 

and  the  mifery  of  the  bad,  which  is  all  we  want  to 

be  aflured  of,  is  dircftly  and  pofitively  affirmed,  and 

R  4  i« 


248  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

is  reprefented  by  meraphors  and  comparifons,  which 
were  plainly  intended  as  metaphors  and  comparifons, 
and  as  nothing  more.  As  to  the  reft,  a  folemn  re- 
ferve  is  m.iinrained.  The  queftion  concerning  the 
woman  who  had  been  married  to  feven  brothers, 

*  whofe  Ihall  fhe  be  on  the  refurreftion  ?*  was  of  a 
nature  calculated  to  have  drawn  from  Chrift  a  more 
circumftantial  account  of  the  ftate  of  the  human  fpecies 
in  their  future  exiftence.  He  cut  ihort,  however, 
the  enquiry  by  an  aufwer,  which  at  once  rebuked 
vain  and  intruding  curiofity,  and  was  agreeabk  to 
the  beft  apprehenfions  we  are  able  to  form  upon  the 
fubjeft,  viz.  '  that  they  who  are  accounted  worthy  of 
'  that  refurreftion,  fhall  be  as  the  angels  of  God  in 

*  heaven,*  I  lay  a  ftrcfs  upon  this  referve,  becaufe 
it  repels  the  fufpicion  of  enthufiafm  ;  for  enthufiafm 
is  wont  to  expatiate  upon  the  condition  of  the  de- 
parted, above  all  other  fubjefts ;  and  with  a  wild 
particularity.  It  is  moreover  a  topic  which  is  always 
liftened  to  with  greedinefs.  The  teacher,  therefore, 
whofe  principal  purpofe  is  to  draw  upon  himfelf  at- 
tention, is  fure  to  be  full  of  it.  The  Koran  of  Ma- 
homet is  half  made  up  of  it. 

II.  Our  Lord  enjoined  no  aufterities.  He  not 
only  enjoined  none  as  ahfolute  duties,  but  he  re- 
commended none  as  carrying  men  to  a  higher  degree' 
of  divine  favour.  Place  Chriftianity,  in  this  refpe£l, 
by  the  fide  of  all  inftitutions  which  have  been  found- 
ed in  the  fanaticifm,  either  of  their  author,  or  of 
his  firft  followers :  or  rather  compare,  in  this  refpeft, 
Chriftianity  as  it  came  from  Cbrift,  with  the  fame 
religion  after  it  fell  into  other  hands  ;  with  the  ex- 
travagant merit  very  foon  afcribed  to  celibacy,  foli- 
tude,  voluntary  poverty ;  with  the  rigours  of  an 
afcetic,  and  the  vows  of  a  monaftic  life,  the  hair 
fhirt,  the  watchings,  the  midn'ght  prayers,  the 
pbmutefcence,  the  gloom  and  mortification,  of  reli- 
gious 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         249 

gious  orders,  and  of  thofe  who  afpired  to  religious 
perfeftion. 

III.  Our  Saviour  urtered  no  impallioned  devotion. 
There  was  no  heat  in  his  piety,  or  in  the  language 
in  which  he  exprcfTcd  ir,  no  vehement  or  rapturous 
ejaculations,  no  violent  urgency  in  his  prayers. 
The  Lord's  prayer  is  a  model  of  calm  devotion. 
His  words  in  ihc  garden  are  unaffeftcd  exprcilions 
of  a  deep  indeed,  but  fober  piety.  He  never  ap- 
pears to  have  been  worked  up  into  any  thin,,T  like 
that  elation,  or  that  emotion  of  fpirits,  which  is 
occafionally  obferved  in  mofl:  of  thofe  to  whom  the 
name  of  enthufiall  can  in  any  degree  be  applied. 
I  feel  a  refpeft  for  methodifls,  becaufe  I  believe  that 
there  is  to  be  found  araongft  them,  much  fincere 
piety,  and  availing,  though  not  always  well-inform- 
ed, Chriftianity  ;  yet  I  never  attended  a  meeting 
of  theirs,  but  I  came  away  with  the  reflection, 
how  different  what  I  heard  was  from  what  I  read  ; 
I  do  not  mean  in  doftrine,  with  which,  at  prefent, 
I  have  no  concern,  but  in  manner  ;  how  different 
from  the  culmnefs,  the  fobriety,  the  good  fenfe, 
and,  I  may  add,  the  (trength  and  authority,  of  our 
Lord's  difcourfes. 

IV.  It  is  very  ufual  WMth  the  human  mind  to  fub- 
ftitute  forwardnefs  and  fervency  in  a  particular 
caufe,  for  the  merit  of  general  and  regular  mora- 
lity; and  it  is  natural,  and  politic  aifo,  in  the  leader 
of  a  fefl  or  party,  to  encourage  fuch  a  difpofition 
in  his  followers.  Chrift  did  not  overlook  this  turn 
of  thought ;  yet,  though  avowedly  placing  himfelf 
at  the  head  of  a  new  inftitution,  he  notices  it  only 
to  condemn  it.  '  Not  every  one  that  faith  unto  me, 
'  Lord,  Lord,  fliall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
'  ven,  but  he  that  doth  the  will  of  my  father  which 

*  is  in  heaven.      Many  will    fay  unto  me  in    that 

*  day.  Lord,  Lord,  have  wc  not  prophcfied  in  thy 

'  name  ? 


250  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  name  ?  and  in  thy  name  have  caft  out  devils  ? 
'  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  vi^orks  ?  and 

*  then  vi^ill  I  profefs  unto  you,  I  never  knew  you, 

*  depart  from  me  ye  that  work  'iniquity  *.*  So  far 
was  the  author  of  Chriftianity  from  courting  the 
attachment  of  his  followers  by  any  facrifice  of  prin- 
ciple, or  by  a  condefcenfion  to  the  errors  which 
even  zeal  in  his  fervice  might  have  infpircd.  This 
was  a  proof  both  of  fmcerity  and  judgment. 

V.  Nor,  fifthly,  did  he  fall  in  with  any  of  the 
depraved  fafliions  of  his  country,  or  with  the  na- 
tural biafs  of  his  own  education.  Bred  up  a  Jew, 
under  a  religion  extremely  technical,  in  an  age, 
and  amongft:  a  people,  more  tenacious  of  the  cere- 
monies than  of  any  other  part  of  that  religion,  he 
delivered  an  inftitution,  containing  lefs  of  ritual, 
and  that  more  fimple,  than  is  to  be  found  in  any 
religion,  which  ever  prevailed  amongfl  m.ankind. 
We  have  known,  I  do  allow,  examples  of  an  enthu- 
fiafn,  which  has  fwept  away  all  external  ordinances 
before  it.  But  this  fpirit  certainly  did  not  didate 
our  Saviour's  conduft,  either  in  his  treatment  of 
the  religion  of  his  country,  or  in  the  formation  of 
his  own  inflitution.  In  both  he  difplayed  the 
foundnefs  and  moderation  of  his  judgment.  He 
cenfured  an  overllrained  fcrupuloufnefs,  or  perhaps 
an  affectation  of  fcrupuloufnefs,  about  the  fabbath  ; 
bat  how  did  he  cenfure  it  ?  not  by  contemning  or 
decrying  the  inflitution  itfelf,  but  by  declaring  that 
'  the  fabbath  was  made  for  man,  not  man   for  the 

*  fabbath  ;'  that  is  to  fay,  that  the  fabbath  was  to 
be  fubordinate  to  its  purpofe,  and  that  that  pur- 
pofe  was  the  real  good  of  thofe  who  v/ere  the  fub- 
jeCls  of  the  law.  The  fame  concerning  the  nicety 
of  feme  of  the  Pharifees,  in  paying  tythcs  of  the 

*    Mat.  vii.  21,  22. 

mofl 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  251 

moft  trifling  articles,  accompanied  with  a  nc{^lct^  of 
jullicc,  fidelity,  and  mercy.  He  finds  fault  with 
ihcm  For  mifpiacing  their  anxi-ty.  He  docs  not 
fpcak  difrefp.  ftfully  of  the  law  of  lythcs,  or  of  their 
ohfervance  of  it,  but  he  afiigns  to  fuch  cl.ifs  of 
duties  its  proper  ftjtion  in  ih-  fcale  of  moral  im- 
porraRce.  All  this  might  be  expelled  perhaps  from 
a  well-in'lru6ied,  cool,  and  judicious  philof )r.l>cr, 
bur  was  not  to  be  looked  for  from  an  illirerate  Jew, 
certainly  not  from  an  iir.petuous  enthufiuft. 

VI.  No'hing  could  be  more  quibbling,  than  were 
the  comments  and  exprfitions  of  the  jewilh  do(5iors, 
at  th.it  time ;  nothing  fo  puerile  a*;  their  diftinftions. 
Their  ev:'fion  of  t^x  fifth  commandment,  their  ex- 
pofition  of  the  law  of  oaths,  are  fpecimens  of  the 
bad  tafte  in  morals  w'lich  then  prevailed.  Whereas 
in  a  numerous  colleftion  of  our  Saviour's  apo- 
thegms, many  of  them  referring  to  fundry  precepts 
of  the  Jewifli  law,  there  is  not  to  be  found  one  ex- 
ample of  fophiftry,  or  of  fa!fc  fubtlcty,  or  of  any 
thing  approaching  thereto. 

VII.  The  national  temper  cf  the  Jews  was  into- 
lerant, narrow-minded,  and  cxduding.  In  Jefus, 
on  the  contrary,  whether  we  regard  his  leflbns  or 
his  example,  we  fee  not  only  benevolence,  but  be- 
nevolence the  moft  enlarged  and  comprehenfive. 
In  the  parable  of  the  good  Samari-^an,  the  very 
point  of  the  hiftory  is,  that  the  perfon  relieved  by 
him,  was  the  national  qnd  religious  enemy  of  his 
benefaftor.  Our  Lord  declared  the  equity  of  the 
divine  adminiftraiion,  when  he  told  the  Jews  (what 
probably,  they  were  furprifed  to  bear)  '  that  many 
'  fhould  come  from  the  eaft   and  weft,  and  fliould 

*  fit  down  with  Abraham,  Ifaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the 
'  kingdom  of  Heaven,  hut  that  the  children  of  the 

*  kingdom   {hould  be   cad  into  outer   darkncfs  *.' 

*   Mat.  viil.    II. 

His 


252  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

His  reproof  of  the  hafty  zeal  of  his  difciples,  who 
would  needs  call  down  fire  from  heaven  to  revenge 
an  affront  put  upon  their  Mafter,  lliovvs  the  lenity 
of  his  charafter,  and  of  his  religion  ;  and  his  opinion 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  mofl  unreafonable  op- 
ponents ought  to  be  treated,  or  at  lead  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  they  ought  not  to  be  treated.  The  terras 
in  which  his  rebuke  was  conveyed,  deferve  to  be 
noticed  :■. — *  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of  fpirit  ye 
are  of*.* 

VIII.    Laflly,  amongfl-  the  negative  qualities  of 
our  religion,   as.  it  came  out  of  the   hands  of  its 
founder  and  his  apoftles,  we  may  reckon  its  com- 
plete abftraftion  from  all  views  either    of  ecclefi- 
aftical   or   civil  policy;    or,   to    meet   a  language 
much  in  faftiion  with  fome  men,  from  the  politics 
either  ofprieftsor  ftatefmen.     Chrifl*s  declaration, 
that  '  his  kingdom  v/as  not  of  this  world,'  recorded 
by  John ;  his  evafion  of  the  queftion,  whether  it 
Avas  lawful  or  not  to  give  tribute  unto  Ccefar,  men- 
tioned by  the  three  other  evangelifts ;  his  reply  to 
an  application  that  was  made  to  him,   to  interpofe 
his  authority  in  a  queftion  of  property,  '  Man,  who 
*  made  me  a  ruler  or  a  judge  over  you  ?'  afcribed 
to  him  by  St.  Luke ;  his  declining  to  exercife  the 
office  of  a  criminal  judge  in  the  cafe  of  the  woman 
taken  in  adultery,  as  related  by  John,  are  all  intel- 
ligible   fignifications    of  our   Saviour's   fentiments 
upon  this  head.     And  with  refpeft  to  politics,  in  the 
ufual  fenfe  of  that  word,  or  difculTions  concerning 
different  forms  of  government,  Chriftianity  declines 
every  queftion  upon  the  fubje£l.     Whilft  politicians 
are  difputihg  about  monarchies,  ariftocracies,  and 
republics,    Chriftianity  is    alike  applicable,    ufeful, 
and  friendly  to  them  all ;  inafmuch  as,  ift,  it  tends 

*  Luke  ix.  $$. 

to 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  253 

to  make  men  virtuous,  and  as  it  is  eafier  to  govern 
good  men  than  bad  men  under  any  conftitution  : 
as,  sdly,  it  ftates  obedience  to  government  in  or- 
dinary cafes,  to  be  not  merely  a  fubmiflion  to  force, 
but  a  duty  of  confcicnce :  as,  ^dly,  it  induces  dif- 
pofitions  favourable  to  public  tranquillity,  a  Chrif- 
tian's  chief  care  being,  to  pafs  quietly  through  this 
world  to  a  better  :  as,  4thly,  it  prays  for  commu- 
nities, and  for  the  governor's  of  communities,  of 
whatever  defcription  or  denomination  they  be, 
with  a  folicitude  and  fervency  proportioned  to  the 
influence  which  they  poflefs  upon  human  huppincfs. 
All  which,  in  my  opinion,  is  juft  as  it  fliould  be.  Had 
there  been  more  to  be  found  in  fcripture  of  a  politi- 
cal nature,  or  convertible  to  political  purpofes,  the 
word  ufe  would  have  been  made  of  it,  on  which 
ever  fide  it  feemed  to  lie. 

When,  therefore,  we  confider  Chrifl  as  :i  moral 
teacher  (remembering  that  this  was  only  a  fecondary 
part  of  his  office;  and  that  morality,  by  the  nnture 
of  the  fubje(5l:,  does  not  admit  of  difcovery,  properly 
fo  called)  when  we  confider,  either  what  he  taught, 
or  what  he  did  not  teach,  cither  the  fubflance  or  the 
manner  of  his  inllruflion ;  his  preference  of  folid  to 
popular  virtues,  of  a  charaftcr  which  is  corr.monlv 
dcfpifed,  to  a  charaftcr  which  is  univcrfally  extolled; 
his  placing,  in  our  licentious  vices,  the  check  in  the 
right  place,  viz.  upon  the  thoughts;  his  colle^ing  of 
human  duty  into  two  v/ell  devifed  rules,  his  repetition 
of  thefc  rules,  the  llrefs  he  laivl  upon  them,  efpccia'uy 
in  comparifon  with  pofitive  duties,  and  his  fixing 
thereby  the  fcntiments  of  his  followers;  liis  exclufioii 
of  all  regard  to  reputation  in  our  devotion  and  alms, 
and,  by  parity  of  reafon,  in  our  other  virtues:  when 
we  confider  that  his  inftrudions  were  delivered  in  a 
form  calcuhited  for  impreilion,  the  prccife  purpofc 
in  his  fituation  to  be  confulrcd:  and  that  tliey  were 

iliufLrated 


as4  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

illuflrated  by  parables,  the  choice,  and  flruc^ure  of 
which  would  have  been  admired  in  any  compolition 
whatever:  when  we  obferve  him  free  from  the  ufual 
fymptoms  of  enthufiafm,  heat  and  vehemence  in  de- 
votion,  aufterity  in  inftitutions,  and  a  wild  particu- 
larity in  the  defcriptions  of  a  future  (late;  free  alfa 
from  the  depravities  of  his  age  and  country,  without 
fuperftition  amongfl:  the  mod:  fuperflitious  of  men,  yet 
not  decrying  pofitive  diftin£lions  or  external  obferv- 
ances,  but  foberly  recalling  them  to   the  principle 
of  their  eftablifliment,  and  to  their  place  in  the  fcalc 
of  human  duties;  without  fophillry  or  trifling,  amidfl: 
teachers  remarkable  for  nothing  fo  much  as  frivolous 
fubtleties  and  quibbling  expofitions;  candid  and  libe- 
ral in  his  judgment  of  the  reft  of  mankind,  althou^sh 
belonging  to  a  people,  who  affe£led  a  feparate  claim 
to  divine  favour,  and,  in  confequencc  of  th/ 1  opinion, 
prone  to  uncharitablenefs,  partiality,  and  rt-ftri»5lion: 
when  we  find  in  his  religion,  no  fcheme  of  building 
up  a  hierarchy,  or  of  miniftcring  to  the  vitw"  of 
human  government:  in  a  word,  when  v/e  compare 
Chriftianity,  as  it  came  from  its  author,  either  with 
other  religions,  or  with  itfelf  in  our  hands,  thje  mofl 
rcluftant  underftanding  will  be  induced  to  acknow- 
ledge the  probity,  1  think  alfo,  the  good  fenfe  of 
thofe,  to  whom  it  owes  its  origin;   and  that   fome 
regard  is  due  to  the  teftimony  of  fuch  men,  when 
they  declare  their  knowledge  that  the  religion  pro- 
ceeded from  God;  and  when  they  appeal,  for  the 
truLh    of   their    afl'ertion,    to    miracles    which   they 
wrought,  or  which  they  faw. 

Perhaps  the  qualities  which  v/e  obferve  in  the  re- 
ligion, may  be  thought  to  prove  fomething  more. 
They  would  have  been  extraordinary,  had  the  reli- 
gion come  from  any  perfon ;  from  the  perfon  from 
wliom  it  did  come,  they  are  exceedingly  fo.  What 
was  Jefiis  in  external  appearance?  a  Jewilli  peafant, 

tlie 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  25^- 

the  fon  of  a  carpentt.r,  living  with  his  father  and 
mother  in  a  remote  province  of  Paleftine,  until  the 
time  that  he  produced  himfelf  in  his  public  chara61:cr. 
He  had  no  maftcr  to  inftruft  or  prompt  him.  He 
had  read  no  books,  but  the  works  of  Mofes  and  the 
prophets.  He  had  vilited  no  poliflied  cities.  He  had 
received  no  leflbns  from  Socrates  or  Plato  ;  nothing 
to  form  in  him  a  tafle  or  judgment,  different  from 
that  of  the  reft  of  his  countrymen,  and  of  perlons  of 
the  fame  rank  of  life  with  himfelf.  SuppofinLj  it  to 
be  true,  which  it  is  not,  that  all  his  points  of  mora- 
lity might  be  picked  out  of  Greek  and  Roman 
writings,  they  were  writinq;s  which  he  had  never 
feen.  Suppofing  them  to  be  no  more,  than  what 
fome  or  other  had  taught  in  various  limes  and 
places,  he  could  not  collect  them  together. 

Who  were  his  coadjutors  in  the  undertaking,  the 
perfons  into  whofe  hands  the  religion  came  after  his 
death?  a  few  fifliermen  upon  the  lake  of  liberias, 
perfons  jufl  as  uneducated,  and  for  the  purpofe  of 
framing  rules  of  morality,  as  unpromifmg  as  himfelf. 
Suppofc  the  miffion  to  be  real,  all  this  is  accounted 
for;  the  unfuitablenefs  of  the  authors  to  the  produc- 
tion, of  the  chara^lers  to  the  undertaking,  no  longer 
furprifes  us;  but  without  reality,  it  is  very  difficult 
to  explain,  how  fuch  a  fyftem  fliould  proceed  from 
fuch  perfons.  Chrid  was  not  like  any  other  carpen- 
ter; the  apoftles  were  not  like  any  other  fifliermen. 

But  the  fubje£t  is  not  exhaufled  by  thefc  obferva- 
tions.  That  portion  of  it,  which  is  moft  reducible  to 
points  of  argument,  has  been  flated,  and  I  trufl 
truly.  There  are,  however,  fome  topics,  of  a  more 
diffufe  nature,  which  yet  deferve  to  be  propofed  to 
the  reader's  attention. 

The  chara^lcr  of  Chrifl  is  a  pan  of  the  morality 
of  the  gofpel :  one  llrong  obfervation  upon  which  is, 
phat,  neither  as  reprefented  by  his  followers,  nor  as 

aiiacked 


2s6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

attacked  by  his  eneiriies,  is  he  charged  with  any  per- 
fonal   vice.     This   remark  is   as   old  as   Ori,;en  :— 

*  rhoujh  innumberable  Hes  and  cakimnies  had  been 

*  fors^fd  againfl  the  venerable  Jcfus,  none  had  dared 

*  to  .  harge  him  with  any  intemperance*.*  Not  a 
reflection  unqn  his  moral  charafter,  not  an  imputa- 
tion or  fufpicion  of  any  offence  againft  purity  and 
chaflity,  appears  for  five  hundred  yea,rs  after  his 
birth.  This  faultleffnefs  is  more  peculiar  than  we 
are  apt  to  imagine.  Some  flain  pollutes  the  morals 
or  the  morality  of  almoft  every  other  teacher,  and 
of  every  other  law-giver  |.  Zeno  the  ftoic,  and 
Diogenes  the  cynic,  fell  into  the  fouled  impurities  ; 
of  which  alfo  Socrates  himfelf  v/as  more  than  fuf- 
peiSted.  Solon  forbad  unnatural  crime  to  flaves, 
Lycurgus  tolerated  theft  as  a  part  of  education. 
Plato  recommended  a  community  of  women.  Arif- 
totle  maintained  the  general  right  of  making  war 
upon  Barbarians.  The  elder  Cato  was  remarkable 
for  the  ill  ufage  of  his  flaves.  The  younger  gave 
up  the  perfon  of  his  wife.  One  loofe  principle  is 
found  in  almofl:  all  the  Pagan  moralift:s ;  is  diftinftly 
however,  perceived  in  the  writings  of  Plato,  Xeno- 
phon,  Cicero,  Seneca,  Epiftctus,  and  that  is,  the 
allowing,  and  even  the  recommending  to  their  dif- 
ciples  a  compliance  with  the  religion,  and  with  the 
religious  rites,  of  every  country  into  which  they 
came.  In  fpeaking  of  the  founders  of  new  infl:itu- 
tions,  we  cannot  forget  Mahomet.  His  licentious 
tranigrefllons  of  his  own  licentious  rules ;  his  abufe 
of  the  character  which  he  aflumed,  and  of  the  power 
which  he  had  acquired,  for  the  purpofes  of  perfonal 
and  privileged  indulgence;  his  avowed  claim  of  a 
fpecial  permiflTion  from  heaven  of  unlimited  fenfuality, 

*  Or.  Ep.  Celf.  1.  3.  Num.  36.  ed.  Bened. 
■f  See  many  inftances  colleded  by  Grotius  de  Ver.  in  the^ 
r.otes  to  his  fecond  book,  p.  116.     Pocock's  edition. 

2  is 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  257 

is  kno\yn  to  every  reader,  as  it  is  confcfiVd  by  every 
wrirer  of  the  Mollein  ftory. 

Secondly,  in  the  hi'lories  which  are  Icfc  us  of 
Jcfus  Chriit,  akliough  very  Ihort,  aiul  aUliough 
uealing  in  narrative,  and  not  in  obfcrvation  or  pane- 
gyric, we  perceive,  btfide  the  abfence  of  every  ap- 
pearance of  vice,  traces  of  devorion,  Iminillty,  be- 
nignity, iKildncfs,  patience,  prudence.  I  fpeak  of 
•traces  of  thtfe  qualities,  becaufe  the  qualities  them- 
ielves  are  to  be  collected  fro:n  incidents;  inafnurh 
as  the  terms  are  never  ufed  of  Chrift  in  tlie  gofpels, 
nor  is  any  formal  chara£ler  of  him  drawn  in  any  part 
of  the  New  Tell  amen  t. 

Thus  we  fee  the  dcvcutncfs  of  liis  mind,  in  his 
frequent  retirement  to  fulitary  prayer*,  in  his  habi- 
tual giving  of  thanks  f-,  in  his  referei;ce  of  the 
beauties  and  operations  of  nature  to  the  bounty  of 
providence! ;  in  his  earned  addreflcs  to  his  Failier, 
nijre  particularly  that  ihorr  but  folemu  one  before 
the  raifing  of  Lr.zarus  from  the  dead§;  and  in  the 
deep  piety  of  his  behaviour  in  the  garden,  on  the 
lall  evening  of  his  life  j|-,  his  humiUty^  in  his  conftanc 
rirproof  of  contentions  for  fuperiority^:  the  benignity 
and  affe<5lionatenefs  of  his  temper  in  his  kindnefs  to 
children**,  in  the  tears  which  he  ihed  over  his 
falling  country  11 ;  and  upon  the  death  of  his 
friend  J]; ;  in  his  noticing  of  the  widow's  mire  §5;  iu 
liis  parables  of  the  good  Samaritan,  of  the  ungrate- 
ful fervanr,  and  of  the  pharifee  and  publican,  of 
which  parables  no  one  Inu  a  man  of  humanity  could 
have  been  the  author:  the  mildncfs  and  lenity  of  his 

*    Mat.  xiv.   23,     i\-.   28.      xxvi,   36. 
t  M:it.  xi.  25.  Mark  viii.  6.  JjIim  vi.  23.  Luks  xxii.  18. 
X   Mit.  vi.  26,  28.  J"   John  xi.  41.  11    Mat    xxvi. 

\  Mark  ix.  33.         **   lb.  x.   i5.         ff  I.'jke  xix.  41. 
±+  y^\.\\  xi.  35,        $;5  Mark  x\\.  42. 

S  character 


258  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

<:hara£^er  is  difcovered,  in  his  rebuke  of  ihc  forwari 
zeal  of  his  difciples  at  the  Samaritan  village*,  in  his 
expoflulation  with  Pilare-j-,  in  his  prayer  for  his 
enemies  at  the  moment  of  his  fufrerin;jj|,  which 
though  it  has  been  fince,  very  properly  and  fre- 
quently imitated,  was  then,  1  apprehend,  new.  His 
prudence  is  difcerned,  where  prudence  is  raofl  wanted, 
in  his  conduft  upon  trying  occailons,  and  in  anfwers 
to  artful  queflions.  Of  thefe  the  following  are 
examples: — His  withdrawing,  in  various  inftances, 
from  the  firft  fymproms  of  tumult  §,  and  with  the 
cxprefs  care,  as  appears  from  St.  Matthew  j|,  of  con- 
ducting his  miniliry  in  quietntfs;  his  declining  of 
every  fpecies  of  inteference  wMth  the  civil  affairs  of 
the  cottntry,  which  dfpofiiion  is  manifeded  by  bis 
conduct  in  the  cafe  of  the  woman  caught  in  aual- 
lery^,  and  in  his  repuife  of  the  application  which 
was  made  to  him,  to  interpofe  his  decifion  about  a 
dif]3uted  inheritance**;  his  judicious,  yet,  as  it 
ihould  feem,  unprepared  anfwers,  will  be  confefled 
in  the  cafe  of  Roman  tributeff,  in  the  difficulty 
concerning  the  interfering  relations  of  a  future  ftate, 
as  propofed  to  him  in  the  indance  of  a  woman  who 
had  married  feven  brethren  +{;  and,  more  cfpecially, 
in  his  reply  to  thofe  who  demanded  from  him  an 
explanution  of  the  authority  by  which  he  afted, 
which  reply  confifted,  in  propounding  a  queftion  to 
-them,  fituated  between  the  very  difficulties,  into 
which  they  w^ere  infidiouily  endeavouring  to  draw 
him  §  § . 

Our  Saviour's   leiTons,  befide  what  has  already- 
been  remarked  in  them,  touch,  and  that  oftentimes 

*  Luke  ix.  55.  f  John  xlx.  11.  4:  Luke  xxiii.  34. 
«)  Mat.  xiv.  22.  Luke  V.  15,  16.  Jrhn  v.  13.  vi.  15. 
II   xii     16.  ^  John  viii.   i.         **  Luke  xii.   14. 

.     it  Milt.  xxii.   19.         iX  lb.  28.       i§  xxi.  25.  etfeq. 

by 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ^59 

bv  very  iiiTt-aing  reprcfcntations,  upon  fomc  cf  the 
mod  imerc-riing  topics  of  human  duty,  and  of  human 
meditaii<.n  ;  upon  the  principles,  by  which  tuc  dc- 
cillons  of  the  lad  day  will  be  regulated*,  upon  il  e 
fupcrior,  or  rather  the  fnoreme,  impQrtance  ot  re  i- 
piLnf,  upon  penitence,  by  the  moll  prelhng  calls 
and  the  moft  encouraging;  invitations +,  upon  lelt- 
den-aK,  watchfulnefsH,  placability^| ,  conhdence  in 
God*%  the  value  of  fpiritual,  that  i-S  of  mental. 
v.orOiiptt,  the  necefliry  of  moral  obedience,  and  the 
direain-  of  that  obedience  to  the  fpint  and  principle 
of  the  law,  indead  of  feeking  for  cvahons  in  a  tech- 
nical conilruaion  of  its  terms++. 

If  wc  extend  our  argument  to  otner  pans  oi"  tli^ 
New  Teftamenr,  we  may  ofl^r,  as  amongll  the  beh 
and  morteft  ruls  of  life,  or,  which  is  the  fame  th.ng, 
defcriptions  of  virtue,  that  hav-  ever  been  dchvercd, 

die  following  palTages  :  ^,    .    ,    ,-        r>    \   ^r.  \ 

'  Pure   religion,  and  undefiled,  bch)re  God  and 

<  the   Father,   is  this ;    to  vifir    the    f^rherlels    and 

*  wiJows  in  tlicir  affliaion,  and  to  keep  hunfclf  un- 
«  fpotted  from  the  world §§.'  , 

'  Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  "S,  clian-y, 
'  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  a  good  confcience,  and 

*  faith  unfeigned  jiij.*  . 

«  For  the  grace  of  Gel  that  brnneth  flilvat.on, 
«  hath  aopeared  unio  all  men,  teacliin^^  us  that  de- 
'  nyincv  ungodiinefs  and  worldly  hi!h,  we  Oiould  live 
<  foberly,  Vi;5h:eGufly,    and  godly,   m    ih:s    preicnc 

*  world  a[^.' 

fMarkviii.  35.  Mat.  vi.  31-53-     Lukex:i.  16,  21--4.  :,. 
X  J-hn  XV.  §  M;it.  V.  29. 

^  LMke  xvii  4.     M.it.  xvir.  33.  M^t.  v.  2,       y. 
t  John  iv.  23.  2|.       n  M-'t-  ''-'''       ^^  J^"'"  '•  ^7- 

ii'!  I  Tim.  i5-  ^^  ^^^'^-  ''■  '•'  ''• 

S  2  Eiiuracratio^is 


26o  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

Enumcriirions  of  virtues  nnJ  vices,  and  thofe  fuf- 
ficientiy  accurate,  and  unqueftionably  jufl:,  iire  given 
by  St  Paui  to  his  converts  in  three  kvcra!  epiftles*. 
The  relative  duties  of  hiifnands  and  v.'ives,  of 
parents  r.nd  children,  of  mafters  and  fervants,  of 
Chriftian  teachers  and  their  fiocks,  of  governors  and 
their  fubjefis,  are  fst  forth  by  the  fame  wrirerf,  not 
indeed  v/ith  the  copioiifnefs,  the  detail,  or  dillinilnefsy 
of  a  moralili,  who  iiiould,  in  chcfe  d:iys,  fit  down  to 
write  chapters  upon  the  iubjc<n:,  but  with  the  leading 
rules  and  principles  in  each  ;  and,  above  all,  with 
truth,  and  with  authority. 

Laftly,  the  whole  volume  of  the  New  Teftament 
is  replete  with  piety;  with,  what  were  ahncfl;  un- 
known t'j  heathen  morahils,  devotional  virtues,  the 
moft  profound  veneration  of  the  deity,  an  habitual 
fenfc  of  his  bounty  and  prote6rion,  a  firm  conftcence 
in  the  final  refult  of  his  councils  and  d)fpcnfarions,  a 
difpofition  to  refort,  upon  all  occafions,  to  his  mercy, 
for  the  fapply  of  human  wants,  for  ailiilance  in  dan- 
rer,  for  relief  from  pain,  for  the  pardon  of  fin. 


C  H  A  P.     III. 
The  candour  of  the  zvr iters  cf  the  Neiv  Tejlameni. 

1  MAKE  this  candour  to  confift,  in  their 
puitinp;  down  many  pafi'ages,  and  i^oticing  many 
circnmftances,  which  no  writer  whatever  was  likely 
to  have  forged;   ant!  vvhich  no  v.-riter  would  have 

*    Gal.  V.  J 9.     Col.  iii.  12.      I  Cor.  xiii. 

f   EpI).  V.  32.     vi.  I. — 5.      2  Ccr.  vi.  6,  7.      Rom.  xiii. 

chofen 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  261 

chofcn  to  appear  in  his  book,  who  had  been  careful 
to  prcfent  llie  ftory  in  the  mofl  unexceptionable 
Jorm,  or  who  had  thought  himfclf  at  liberty  to  carve 
and  m  uld  the  particulars  of  that  ftory  accorJing  to 
his  choice,  or  i^ccordinc;  to  his  judgment  of  the  elVec^. 
A  llronc:  and  well-known  example  of  the  fairnefs 
ef  the  cvangelius,  offers  iifelf  in  their  account  of 
Chrifl's  rcfurre^rtion,  namely,  in  their  unanimoufiy 
Aa:ing«  that,  after  he  W2%  rifen,  he  appeared  to  liis 
difeiples  alone.  I  do  not  mean,  that  they  have  ufed 
the  exclufive  word  alone;  but  that  all  tlic  inlhinccs 
which  tliey  have  recorded  of  his  appeariuicc,  are 
inllanccs  of  appearance  to  his  difciplcs  ;  that  their 
reafoninL,rs  upon  it,  and  ailufions  to  it,  are  confined 
to  this  fuppofition  ;  and  that,  by  one  of  tliem,  Peter 
is  made  to  fay,  *  Him  God  raifed  up  the  third  day, 
'  and  (howed  him  openly,  nor  to  all  the  people,  bur 
'  ro  witncffes  cliofcn  before  God,  even  ro  us,  who 
'  did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he  rofe  from  the 
*  dead.'  The  commoneil  underdanling  muil  have 
perceived,  that  the  hillory  of  the  refurrefticMi  would 
have  come  witli  niore  advantage,  if  ihey  had  related 
that  Jcfiis  appt^^^red,  after  he  was  rifen,  to  his  foes 
as  well  as  his  friends,  to  the  fcribes  and  phnrifees, 
the  Jewilh  council,  and  the  Roman  governor  ;  or 
even  if  they  had  afTcrted  the  public  appearance  of 
Chrifl  in  general  unqualified  ternis,  witliout  noticing, 
as  they  have  done,  the  prefence  of  his  difciplcs  upon 
each  occafjon,  and  noticing  it  in  fuch  a  ir.anncr  as  to 
lead  their  readers  to  fuppofe  that  none  but  difcijies 
were  prefent.  They  cou/J  have  reprefcnted  it  one 
way  as  well^is  the  other.  And  if  their  point  had 
been,  to  have  the  religion  believed,  whctlicr  true 
or  falfe ;  if  they  had  fabricated  the  llory  ab  initio, 
or  if  they  liad  been  difpofcd,  either  to  have  delivered 
ihcir  tcllimcny  as  witneffes,  cr  to  liave  v>'o;kcd  up 

S  3  ihcir 


26z  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

their  raiitcrials  and  information  as  hiftorians,  in  fuch 
a  manner  as  to  render  their  narrative  as  fpecious  and 
unobj.xrionable  as  they  could  ;  in  a  word,  if  they 
had  thought  of  any  thing  but  of  the  truth  of  the 
cafe  as  they  underftood  and  believed  it ;  rhey  would, 
in  their  account  of  Chrift's  fc-veral  appearances  after 
his  rcfurre^licn,  at  lead  have  omitted  this  reflri^tion. 
At  this  didance  of  time,  the  account  as  we  have  it, 
is  perhaps  more  credible  than  it  would  have  been 
the  other  way  ;  becaufe  this  manifeftation  of  the 
hidorian^s  candour,  is  of  more  advantage  to  their 
ted'mony,  than  the  difference  in  the  circumdances 
of  the  account  would  have  been  to  the  nature  of  the 
evidence.  But  this  is  an  effe£l  vv'hich  the  evangelills 
could  not  forcfee  ;  and  I  think  that  it  was  biy  no 
means  the  cafe  at  the  time  Vi/hen  the  books  were 
compofed. 

Mr.  Gibbon  has  argued  for  the  genuinenefs  of 
the  Koran,  from  the  confefiions  which  it  contains,  to 
the  apparent  difadvantage  of  the  Mahometan  caufe*. 
The  fame  defence  vindicates  the  genuinenefs  of  our 
gofpcls,  and  without  prejudice  to  the  caufe  at  all. 

There  are  feme  other  inflances  in  which  the  evan- 
gelifts  hontdly  relate    what,   they  mud    have  per-^ 
ceived,  would  make  againd  them. 

Of  this  kind  is  John  the  Baptid's  meflage  pre- 
ferved  by  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke.   (xi.  2.  vii.  18.) 

*  Now  Vv'hen  John  had  heard,    in  the  prifon,  the 

*  works  of  Chrid,  he  fcnt  two  of  h's  difciples,  and 

*  faid  unto  him.  Art  thou  he  that  Oiould  come,  ot 
'look  we  for  another?*  To  confefs,  dill  more 
to  date,  that  John  the  Baptid  had  his  doubts  con- 
cerning the  chara6^er  of  Jefus,  could  not  but  aiTord 
a  handle  to  cavil   and  objcOion.     But  truth,  like 

*  Vol.  IX.  c.  50.  note  96. 

honedy. 


EVIDEXCES  07  CHRISTIANITY.  262 

honefly,  nec^lt<5ls  appearances.  The  fa;ne  obfcrva- 
tion,  jx^rhaps,  holds  concerning  the  apodacy  of 
Judas*. 

John  yl.  66.  *  From  that  time  many  of  his  dif- 
'  eipies  went  b^ck,  and  walked  no  more  with  him.' 
"Was  it  the  pait  of  a  writer,  who  deaU  in  fupprcfiion 
and  dif.Miife,  to  put  down  tbis  anecdote  ? 

Or  tliis,  wliich  Matthew  has  prcferved  (xiii.  58.), 

*  lie  did  not  many  mighty  works  there,  becaufc  of 
'  their  unbelief.' 

Again,  in  the  fame  evangeliil  (v.  17,  18.),  '  Think 
'  not  that  I  am  come  to  dedroy  the  law  or  the  pro- 
'  phets  ;  I  am  not  com^f  to  deftroy,  bin  to  fulfil  ;  for, 

*  verily,  I  fay  imto  you,  tiH  heaven  and  earth  pafs, 
'  one  jot,  or  one  tittle,  (liill  in  no  wife  pafs  from  the 
'  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled.'  At  the  time  the  gofpels 
were  written,  x\\e  apparent  tendency  of  Chrifl's 
iniiTwn  was  to  diminilh  the  authority  of  the  Mcfaic 
code,  and  it  was  (o  confidcrcd  by  the  Jews  them- 
felves.    It  is  very  improbable,  therefore,  that  without 

*  I  had  once  placed  amonc;ft  tliefe  examples  of  f.iir  concef- 
fion,  the  rem:irka')le  words  of  St.  M.itthew,  in  h-s  account  of 
Chrili's  appearance  upon  the  Galilean  mountain  ;  •  and  when 

*  they  faw  him,  they  woHiiipped  him,  hut  fome  doulted\.'  I 
have  fince,  howeve,  been  convinced,  by  what  is  obfLrvcd 
concerning  this  paliage  J  in  Dr.  Townfend's  difcourle  upon 
the  refurrevTlion,  that  the  tranfadion,  as  related  by  St.  Mat- 
thew, was  really  this :     '  Chrill  appeared  firft  at   a  diilarct,- : 

*  the  greater  part  c{  the  company  the  moment  they  faw  hirr, 

*  vvorOiippcd,  but  fome,  as  yet,  ;.  e.  upon  this  firft  dilla-it  view 

*  of  his  pc-fon,  doubted  ;  whereupon  Chi  ill  came  up  §  to  th.em, 

*  and  fpalce  to  tliem,'  &:c. :  that  the  doubt,  therefore,  was  a 
doubt  only  at  firft,  for  a  moment,  and  upon  his  being  feen  at 

,a  diftancc,  and  was  afterwards  difpellcd  by  his  nearer  approadi, 
and  by  his  entering  into  converfation  with  them. 

t  xxviii.   17.  \    Page   177. 

§  3.  Matthew's  worc^s  are  Ka-  vrorrixSo'T  h  Urm  tXaXx-rv  avTc;c. 
Thi*  intimatfs,  that,  when  he  firll  app.arcd.  it  wa«  at  %  di.flancc,  at 
•IrjU  from  many  of  the  fpeilators.     (Ih,  p   197) 

S  4  the 


264  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  conflraint  of  truth,  Matthew  fliov.ici  hrive  afcrib- 
ed  a  faying  to  Chrifl,  which,  primo  iniintu^  rnilitared 
with  the  judgment  of  the  age  in  which  his  gofpel 
was  written,  ivlarcion  thou,L;ht  th.is  text  fo  o'jec- 
tionable,  that  he  altered  the  words  fo  as  to  invert 
the  fenfe  *. 

Once  more,  Afls  xxv.  iq.  '  They  brought  none 
'  acciifation  againd  him,  of  fuch  things,  as  I  fup- 
*  pofed,  but  had  certain  qucjlinns  againfl  him  of 
'  their  ov/n  fuperftition,  and  of  one  Jcfus  which 
'  was  dead,  whom  Paul  affirmed  to  be  alive.'  No- 
thing could  be  more  in  the  character  of  a  Roman 
governor  tlian  thefe  words.  But  that  is  not  pre- 
cifdy  the  point  I  am  concerned  with.  A  mere  pa- 
negyrid,  or  a  difhoneft  rarrator,  would  not  have 
reprefented  his  caufe,  or  have  m.ade  a  great  magif- 
triue  reprefent  it,  in  this  manner,  /.  e.  in  terms  not 
a  little  difparaging,  and  befpeakin.ij;-,  on  h's  part, 
much  unconcern  and  indifference  about  the  matter. 
The  fame  obfervation  may  be  lepeated  of  the  fpeech 
which  is  afcribed  to  Gallio  (A£i;s  viii.  14).  *  If  it 
'  be  a  quedion  of  words  and  names,  and  of  your  law, 
'  look  ye  to  it,  for  I  will  hz  no  judge  of  fuch  mat- 
'  ters.' 

Ladly,  where  do  we  difcern  a  ftrcnger  mark  of 
candour,  or  lefs  difpofition  to  extol  and  magnify, 
than  in  the  conclufion  of  the  fame  hidory,?  in  which 
the  evangelid,  after  relating  that  Paul,  upon  his  fird 
arrival  at  Rome,  preached  to  the  Jews  from  morn- 
ing until  evening,  adds,  and  fome  believed  the  things 
'  which  were  fpoken,  and  fome  believed  not.' 

The  following,  I  think,  are  padagcs,  which  were 
very  unhkely  to  have  prefented  therafelves  to  the 
mind  of  a  forger  or  a  fabulid. 

*  Lard.  vol.  XV.  p.  422. 

Mat. 


EVIDENCES  O"  CHRISTIANITY.  26s 

Mat.  xxi.   21.      '  Jrfiis  anfwered    and  faid  unto 

*  ihern,  verily  I  fay  unto  you,  if  ye  have  faith  and 

*  doubt  nor,   ye    iha'l   not  only   do  this,   ^vhich   is 

*  done  unto  the  fi;:^-trce,    but  alfo,   if  ye   (liaH  fay 

*  unto  this  mountain,  be  thou  removed,  and  be  thou 

*  ca'^  into  the  fea,  it  (hall  be  done  ;  all  things  what- 

*  foevcT  ye  fliall  afic  in  prayer,  believing,  it  fhall  be 

*  done*.'  Ir  appears  to  me  very  improbable,  that 
thefe  words  fhoald  have  been  put  into  Chrift's 
mouth,  if  he  had  not  aftual'y  fpoketi  them.  The 
term  '  faitli,'  as  here  rfcd,  is  perhaps  rightly  inter- 
preted of  confidence  in  that  internal  notice,  by 
which  the  anoffles  wen  admoniflied  of  their  power 
to  perform  any  particular  miracle.  And  this  cxpo- 
frion  renders  the  fcnfe  of  the  text  more  eafy.  But 
the  words,  undoubtedly,  in  their  ob^jiou?  conflruc- 
tion,  carry  with  them  a  difficulty,  which  no  writer- 
would  have  brought  upon  himfelf  officioully. 

Luke  i  <•  ^9.  '  And  he  faid  unto  another,  fol- 
'  low  me  ;   but  he  faid,  Lord,  fufFer  me  firH:,  to  go 

*  and  bury  my  father.     Jefus  faid  unto  him,  let  the 

*  dead  bury  their  dead,  but  go  thou  and  preach  the 

*  kingdom  of  God  f.'  This  anfwer,  though  very 
exprefiive  of  the  tranfcendent  importance  of  relip-i- 
ous  concerns,  was  apparently  harfli  and  repulfive  ; 
and  fuch  a<!  would  not  have  been  made  for  Chrifl:, 
if  he  had  not  really  uftd  it.  At  lead,  fome  other 
inftance  would  have  been  chofcn. 

The  following  palTagc,  I,  for  the  fame  rcafon, 
think  impoffible  to  Ivc'.vc  been  the  produdion  of  arti- 
fice, or  of  a  cold  forgery  : — '  But  I  fay  unto  you, 

*  that  whofoever  is  angry  with  liis  brother  without 

*  a  cau<e,  Ihali  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment ;  and 

*  whofoever  fliall  fliy  to  his  brother,  Raca,  fhall  be 
'  in  danger  of  the  council ;  but  whofoever  fliall  fay, 

*  Seealu' xvii.  20.    Lu.ic  xvVi.  C.      f  See  alfo  Mat.  viii    2t. 

*  thou 


266  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  thou  fool,  fliall  be  in  danger  of  hell-fire  (Gelicn- 
'  nae.)'  Mat.  v.  12.  It  is  emphatic,  cogent,  and 
well  calculated  for  the  purpofe  of  impreilion,  but 
ioconfiftent  with  the  fuppofition  of  art  or  warinefs 
Oil  the  part  of  the  relater. 

The  fliort  reply  of  our  Lord  to  Mary  Magdalen 
after  his  refurreftion  (John  xx.  16,   17),  '  Touch 

*  me  not,  for  I  am  not  yet  afcended  unto  my  Father,* 
in  my  opinion,  mufh  have  been  founded  in  a  refer- 
ence or  allufion  to  feme  prior  converfation,  for  the 
want  of  knowing  which,  his  meaning  is  hidden  from 
us.  This  very  obfcurity,  however,  is  a  proof  of 
gcnuinenefs.  No  one  would  have  forged  fuch  an 
anfwer. 

John  vi.  The  whole  of  the  converfation,  re- 
corded in  this^  chapter,  is,  in  the  higheft  degree, 
unlikely  to  be  f.ibricated,  efpecially  the  part  of  ^nir 
Saviour's  reply  between  the  fiftieth  and  the  fifty- 
eighth  verfe.  I  need  only  put  down  the  firfl  fen- 
lence,  '  1  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down 
'  from   heaven,  if  any  man  eat  of   this  bread,   he 

*  fliall  live  for  ever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will   pive 

*  him  is  my  fltfli,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of 

*  the  world.'  Without  calling  in  queflion  the  ex- 
pofitions  that  have  been  given  of  this  pafiage,  we 
may  be  permitted  to  fay,  that  it  labours  under  an 
obfcurity,  in  which  it  is  impofTible  to  believe  that 
any  one,  who  made  fpeeches  for  the  pcrfons  of  his 
narrative,  would  have  voluntarily  involved  them. 
That  this  difcourfe  was  obfcure  even  at  the  time, 
is  confeifed  by  the  writer  who  has  preferved  it, 
when  he  tells  us  at  the  conchifion,  that  many  of 
our  Lord's  difciples,  when  they  had  heard  this, 
faid,  '  this  is  a  hard  faying,  who  can  bear  it  ?* 

ChriiTs  taking  a  young  child,  and  placing  it  in 
the  midil  of  his  contentious  difciples  (Mat.  xxviii. 
;j..),  though  as  decifive  a  proof  as  any  could  be,  of 

the 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANH  Y.  267 

the  benignity  of  liis  temper,  and  very  cxprrffive  of 
the  chara(5ler  of  the  rclio;ion  which  he  wirtied  to 
inculcate,  was  not  by  any  means  an  obvious  thought. 
Nor  am  I  acquainteJ  with  any  thing  in  any  ancient 
writing  which  reffmbles  it. 

The  account  of  the  inllitution  of  the  F.ucharifl 
bears  llron;j  internal  mark«;  of  genuinenefs.  If  it 
had  been  fei.^neJ,  it  would  have  been  more  full. 
It  would  have  come  nearer  to  the  a^ual  mode  of 
celcbr;nin  •  the  rite,  as  that  mode  obtained  very 
car'y  in  Chriftim  churches ;  and  it  would  have  been 
more  fornial  than  it  is.  In  the  forsjed  piece,  called 
the  apo'.bilic  conditutiDDS,  the  apoftlcs  are  made  to 
enjoin  many  parts  of  the  ritual,  which  was  in  ufe. 
in  the  fecond  and  third  centuries,  with  as  much 
parti  ularity,  as  a  modern  rubric  could  have  done. 
Whereas,  in  the  hiflory  of  the  Lord's  fupper,  as 
we  read  it  in  St.  Matthew's  gofpel,  there  is  not  fo 
much  as  the  command  to  repeat  it.  This,  furely, 
looks  like  undrfignedncfs.  1  think  alfo  that  the 
difficulty  ariling  from  the  concifenefs  of  Chrift's 
expreflion,  '  this  is  my  body,'  would  have  been 
avoided  in  a  made-up  Jtory.  I  allow  that  the  ex- 
plication of  thefe  words,  given  by  Proteftants,  is 
f.iiisfa61ory  ;  but  it  is  deduced  from  a  diligent  com- 
parifon  of  the  words  in  qucflion,  with  forms  of  cx- 
prciTion  ufed  ill  fcripture,  and  efpecially  by  Chrifl:, 
upon  other  occalions.  No  writer  would,  arbitra- 
rily and  unneceiTarily,  have  thus  caft  in  his  reader's 
way  a  difficulty,  which,  to  fay  the  leaft,  it  required 
refearch  and  erudition  to  dear  up. 

Now  it  ought  to  be  obferved,  that  the  argument 
which  is  built  upon  thefe  examples,  extends  both 
to  the  authenticity  of  the  books,  and  to  the  truth 
of  the  narrative ;  for  it  is  improbable,  that  the 
forger  of  a  hiftory  in  the  name   of  another  fhould 

infert 


263  A  VIE V/  OF  THE 

infert  fuch  paffages  into  it;  and  it  is  improbable 
alfo,  that  the  perfwns  whofe  names  the  books  bear, 
ibould  fabricate  fuch  pafTuges  :  or  even  allow  them 
a  place  in  their  work,  if  they  had  not  believed  them 
•to  exprefs  the  truth. 

The  following  obfervation,  therefore,  of  Dr. 
Lardner,  the  mod  candid  of  all  advocates,  and  the 
moll:  cautious  of  all  enquirers,  feems  to  be  well 
founded : — '  Chriflians  are  induced  to  believe  the 
'writers  of  the  gofpel,  by  obfcrving  the  evidences 

*  of  piety  and  probity  that  appear  in  their  writings, 
'  in  which  there  is  no  deceit  or  artifice,  or  cunning, 

*  or  defign.'  '  No  remarks,'  as  Dr.  Bcatiie  bath 
properly  faid,  '  are  thrown  in  to  anticipate  objec- 
'  tions  ;  nothing  of  that  caution,  which  never  fails 
'  to  diftinguifli  the  tcftimcny  of  thofe,  who  are  con- 

*  fcious  of  impoflure  ;  no  endeavour  to  reconcile 
'  the  reader's  mind  to  what  may  be  extraordinary 
'  in  the  narrative.' 

I  beg  leave  to  cite  alfo  another  author  *,  who 
has  well  expreffed  the  refleclion,  which  the  exam- 
ples now  brought  forward  were  intended  to  fuggeil. 

*  It  doth  not  appear  that  ever  it  cam.e  into  the  mind 
'  of  thefe  writers,  to  confider  how  this  or  the  other 
'  aftion  would  appear  to  mankind,  or  what  objec- 

*  tions  might  be  raifed  upon  them.      But,  without 

*  at  all  attending  to  this,  they  lay  the  facls  before 
'  you,   at  no  pains  to   think   whether  they  would 

*  appear  credible  or  not.  If  the  reader  will  not 
'  believe  their  teftimony,  there  is  no  help  for  it  : 
'  they  tell  the  truth,  and  attend  to  nothing  elfe. 
'  Surely  this  looks  like  fmceriry,  and  that  they  pub- 
f  hflied  nothing  to  the  world  but  vvhat  they  believed 
^  ihemfelves.' 


*  Duchal,  p.  97,  98. 

As 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  265; 

As  no  improper  Supplement:  to  this  chapter,  I 
crave  a  place  here  for  obferving  the  extreme  natu- 
ralne/'s  of  fome  of  the  ihings  related  in  the  New 
Tefhimcnt. 

Mark  ix.  24.     Jefus  f.iiil  unto  him,  '  if  thou  canfl 

*  believe,  all  things  are  poflible  lo  him  that  believeth. 

*  And  flraightway  the  father  of  the  child  cried  out, 
'  and  faid   with  tears,  Lord,  I  believe,   help   thou 

*  mine  unbelief.'  The  ftrugglc  in  the  father's 
heart,  between  folicitude  for  the  prefervation  of  his 
child,  and  a  kind  of  involuntary  diftrufl  of  Chrift's 
power  to  heal  him,  is  here  exprcffed  with  an  air  of 
reality,  w^hich  could  hardly  be  counterfeited. 

Again,  (Mat.  xxi.  9,)  the  eagernefs  of  the  people 
to  introduce  Chrill  into  Jerufalem,  and  their  de- 
mand, a  fliort  time  afterwards,  of  his  crucifixion, 
w^hen  he  d'd  not  turn  out  what  they  expected  him 
to  do,  fo  far  from  affording  matter  of  objeflion, 
reprefents  popular  favour,  in  exaft  agreement  with 
nature  and  with  experience,  as  the  flux  and  reflux 
of  a  wave. 

The  rulers  and  Pharifees  rejecting  Chrift,  whilfl 
many  of  tlie  common  people  received  him,  was  the 
cIFecfl:,  which,  in  the  then  flare  of  Jewifli  prejudices, 
I  fliould  have  expelled.  And  the  reafon  with  which 
they,  who  rejei5ted  Chrift's  miflion,  kept  themfelves 
in  countenance,  and  with  which  aifo  they  anfwercd 
the  arguments  of  thofe  who  favoured  it,  is  precifely 
the  reafon,  which  fuch  men  ufually  give  : — '  Have 
'  -any  of  the  Scribes  or  Pharifees  believed  on  him  ?* 
John  vli.  48. 

In  our  Lord's  converf.ition  at  the  well  (John  iv. 
29),  Chrift  had  furprifed  the  Samaritan  woman,  with 
an  allufion  to  a  Angle  particular  in  her  domeflic  fitii- 
ation,  *  thou  hafl  had  five  huflDands,  and  he,  whom 
'  thou  now  hafl,  is  not  thy  hulband.'  The  woman, 
foon  after  this,  ran  back  to  the  city,  and  called  out 

td 


270  A  VIEW  OF  tllE 

to  her  neighbours,  '  Come,  fee  a  man  which  told 
mc  all  things  that  ever  I  did.'  This  exaggeration 
appears  to  me  very  natural  ;  efpecially  in  the  hurried 
ftate  of  fpirits  into  which  the  woman  may  be  fuppofed 
to  have  been  thrown. 

The  lawyer's  fubtlety  in  running  a  diftinflion 
upon  the  word  neighbour,-  in  the  ptecept  *  thou 
'  fiialt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyfelf,'  was  no  lefs 
natural  than  our  Saviour's  anfvver  was  decifive  and 
fatisfaclory  (Luke  x.  29).  The  lawyer  of  the 
New  Teflament,  it  mufl  be  obferved,  was  a  Jewifli 
divine. 

The  behaviour  of  Gallio,  A<n:s  xviii.  11 — 17, 
and  of  Feftus,  xxv.  18,  19,  have  been  obferved 
upon  already. 

The  confiftency  of  St.  Paul's  charai^er  through- 
out the  whole  of  his  hiftory ;  the  warmth  and 
activity  of  his  zeal,  firfl  againft,  and  then  for  Chrif- 
tianity,  carries  with  it  very  much  of  the  appearance 
of  truth. 

There  are  alfo  fome  proprieties,  as  they  may  be 
called,  obfervable  in  the  gofpels,  that  is,  circum- 
(lances  feparately  fuiring  with  the  fuuation,  charac- 
ter, and  intention  of  their  refpe.5live  authors. 

St.  Matthew,  who  was  an  inhabitant  of  Galilee, 
and  did  not  join  Chrift's  fociety  until  fome  time  after 
Chrift  had  come  into  Galilee  to  preach,  has  given 
us  very  little  of  his  hiflory  prior  to  that  period. 
St.  John,  who  had  been  converted  before,  and  who 
wrote  to  fupply  omifiions  in  the  other  gofpels, 
relates  fome  remarkable  particulars,  which  had 
taken  place  before  Chriit  left  Judaea  to  go  into 
Galilee*. 

St.  Matthew  (xv.  i.)  has  recorded  the  cavil  of 
the  Phiirifees  againft:  the  dikiples  of  Jefus  for  eating 

*  Hartley's  Obf.  Vol.  II.  p.  IC3. 

'  with 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  271 

*  wiih  unclean  hands.'  Sr.  Mark  lias  aifo  (vii.  i.) 
recorded  the  fame  trnnfaifbion  (taken  probably  from 
St.  Mattliew,)  but  with  this  addition,  '  for  tliePha- 
'  rifces,  and  all  the  Jews,   except  they  wafli  their 

*  hands  often,  e;.it  not,  holdiu'^  the  tradition  of  the 

*  elders ;  and  when  they  come  from  the  marker, 
'  except  they  walh  they  eat  not ;  and  many  other 
'  things  there  be  which  they  have  received  to  hold, 
'  as  the  wafJiing  of    cups  and  pots,  brazen  vefTels, 

*  and  of  tables.'  Now  St.  Matthew  was  not  only  a 
Jew  himfelf,  but  it  is  evident  from  the  whole  ffrnc- 
ture  of  his  gofpel,  cfpecially  from  his  numerous  re- 
ferences to  the  Old  Teflament,  that  he  wrote  for 
Jewifli  readers.  The  above  explanation  therefore 
in  him  would  have  been  unnatural,  as  not  beiiiij 
wanted  by  the  readers  v>'hom  he  addrciTcd.  But  m 
Mark,  who,  whatever  ufe  he  might  make  of  Mat- 
thew's gofpel,  intended  his  own  narrative  for  a  ge- 
neral circulation,  and  who  himfelf  travelled  to  dif- 
tant  countries  in  the  fervice  of  the  religion,  it  was 
properly  added. 


CHAP.     IV. 

Identity  of  ChriJVs  Charaaer.  * 

i.  HE  argument  exprcfTed  by  this  title  I 
apply  principally  to  the  comparifon  of  the  three  lirft 
gofpeh  with  that  of  St.  John.  It  is  known  to  every 
reader  of  fcripiure,  that  the  paiTages  of  Chrid's  hif- 
tory  prcfervcd  by  Sr.  John,  are,  except  his  palTioa 

and 


a72  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

and  refurrection,  for  the  moft  art  different  from 
thofc  uhi.h  circ  delivered  by  the  cnhc  cvan  ietilis. 
And  I  think  the  ancient  account  of  this  difference  to 
be  the  true  one,  viz..  thiit  St.  John,  wrorc  after  the 
reft,  ?.nd  to  fupply  what  he  thou  ht  omiffions  in 
their  narratives,  of  which  the  principal  were  our 
Saviour's  con ferences  with  the  Jews  of  Jernfalera, 
and  his  difconrfes  to  his  apoftles  nt  his  laii  fupper. 
But  what  I  obfcrve  in  the  comparifon  of  thefc-  fevcr;ii 
accounts .  is,  ihit,  althouk^h  anions  and  dif  ourfes 
arc  afcribed  to  Chrift  by  St.  John,  in  general  differ- 
ent from  what  are  given  to  him  by  the  oiher  evan- 
gelifts,  yet,  under  this  diverfiiy,  there  is  a  firniiiTude 
o{  manner^  v/hich  indicates  that  the  actions  and  dif- 
courfes  proceeded  from  the  fame  perfon.  I  Ihou'd 
have  hiid  little  ftrefs  upon  a  repetition  of  actions  fub- 
ftantially  ahke,  or  of  difcor.rfes  containing  many  of 
the  fame  expreiTions,  becaufe  that  is  a  fpecies  of  re- 
femblance,  which  would  either  belons:  to  a  true  hif 
tory,  or  might  Ccfily  be  imitated  in  a  f  life  one.  Nor 
do  1  deny,  that  a  dramatic-  v/rirer  is  able  to  fuftain 
propriety  and  diftinLlion  of  charafter,  through  a 
great  variety  of  feparate  incidents  and  fit  nations. 
But  the  evan^relifls  were  not  dramatic  writers  ;  nor 
poffcifed  the  talents  of  dramatic  writers  ;  nor  will  it, 
I  believe,  be  fufpefted,  that  x\\ty  Jludicd  uniformity 
of  character,  or  ever  thought  of  'jny  fuch  thing,  in 
the  perfon  who  was  the  fubjefl:  of  their  hiftorics. 
Such  uniformity,  if  it  exift,  is  on  their  part  cafua!  ; 
and  if  there  be,  as  I  contend  there  is,  a  perceptible 
refemblance  of  mayiner^  in  paffliges,  r:nd  between 
difcourfes,  which  are  in  themfelves  extremely  dif- 
tinct,  and  are  delivered  by  hiftorians  writing  without 
any  imitation  of,  .or  reference  to  one  another,  it 
affords  a  juft  prefumpt'on,  th;.'.t  thefe  are,  what  they 
profefs  to  be,  the  aftions  and  the  difcourfes  of  the 
lame  real  perfon  ;  that  the  evangcliffs  wrcrc  from 

i  faa. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  27^ 

fiKH:,  and  not  ^hmii  ima;4lnaiion.  The  article  in  which 
I  find  this  agreement  moft  Itrong,  is  in  our  Saviour's 
mode  of  teachini^,  and  in  that  particular  property  of 
it,  which  confiits  in  his  drawing  of  hi.s  doc^trinc  from 
the  occafion  ;  or,  whicli  is  nearly  the  f  ime  thmg, 
raifing  reflections  from  the  oWjefts  and  incidents  be- 
fore liim,  or  turning  a  particular  difcourfe  then  paf- 
fing  inro  an  opportunity  of  general  inftriicHon. 

It  will  be  my  bufinefs  to  point  out  this  manner  in 
the  three  firil  cvangelifts ;  and  then  to  enquire, 
whether  it  do  not  appear  alfo,  in  feveral  exL -nples 
of  Chrift's  difcourfes,  prcferved  by  St.  John. 

The  reader  will  obferve  in  the  following  quota- 
tion, that  the  italic  letter  contains  t!ie  reflexion,  the 
common  letter  the  incident  or  occafion  from  which 
it  fprings. 

Mat.  xii.  49,  50.  *  Then  they  faid  unto  him, 
'  behold  thy  mother  and  thy  brethren  ftaud  without, 
'  defiring  to  fp-ak  with  thee.  But  he  anfwered, 
'  and  faid  unto  him  that  told  him,  Who  is  my  nio- 
'  ther  ?  and  who  are  my  brethren  ?  And  he  flrerched 
'  forth  his  hands  towards  his  difciples,  and  faid,  Be- 
'  hold  my  mother  and  my  brethren  ;  for  luhofocver 
'  [hall  do  ihe  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
'  the  fame  is  my  brother,  and  fificr,  and  mother.* 

Mat.  xvi.  5.     '  And  when  his  difciples  were  come 

*  to  the  other  fide,  they  had  forgotten  to  take  bread; 
'  then  Jefus  faid  unto  them,  Take  heed,  and  beivare 
'  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharifees,  and  of  the  Saddu' 
'  cees.     And  they  reafoned  among  themfelves,  fay- 

*  ing,  it  is  becaufe  wx  have  taken  no  bread. — How 
'  is  it  that  ye  do  not  underftand,  that  1  fpake  it  not 
'  to  you  concerning  bread,  that  ye  fiiould  beware  of 

*  the  leaven  of  the  Pharifees,  and  of  the  Sadducees  .? 
'  Then  underdood  they  how  that  he  bade  them  not 
'  beware  of  the  leaven  of  bread,  but  of  ihe  doctrine 
'  of  ihe  Pharifees  and  of  the  Sadducees.* 

T  Mar. 


274  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

Mat.  XV.  1,  2,  lo,  II.  17 — 20.  '  Then  came, fo 
'  Jefus  Scribes  and  Pharifees,  which  were  of  Jcru- 
'  liile;n,  faying,   Why  do  thy  difciples  tranfgrefs  the 

*  traditions  cf  the  elders  ?  for  they  "wafli  not  their 
'  hands  when  they  eat  bread.  -And  he  called  the 
'  mulritude,  and  faid  unto  them,  Hear  and  under- 
'  flandj  not  that  which  goeth  into  the  month  defileth  a 
'  man,  but  that  which  comcth  out  oj  the  mouth,  this 
*'  defileth  a  man, — Then  anfwered  Peter,  and  faid 

*  unto   him,    declare   unto   us   this   parable.      And 

*  Jefus  faid,  hxz  ye  alfo  yet  without  underilanding  ? 

*  Do  ye  not  underftand,  that  whatfoever  entereth  in 
'  at  the  mouth,  goeth  into  the  belly,  and  is  cafl  out 
'  into  the  draught  ?  but  thofe  things  which  proceed 
'  out  of  the  mouth  come  forth  from  the  heart,  and 
'  they  defile  the  man  ;  for  out  of  the  heart  proceed 
'  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications^ 
'  thefts,  falfe  witnefs,  .blafphemies ;     thefe   are    the 

*  things  which  defile  a  man,  hut  to  eat  with  unwajhen 
'  hands  defiletb  not  a  man,''  Our  Saviour,  upon 
this  occaCon,  expatiates  rather  jTtore  at  large  than 
ufual,  and  his  difcourfe  alfo  is  more  divided,  but 
the  concluding:  fcntence  brings  back  the  whole  train 
of  thought  to  the  incident  in  the  fird  verfe,  viz.  the 
objurgatory  quedion  of  the  Pharifecs,  and  renders  it 
evident  that  the  whole  fprung  from  that  circumfcance. 

Mark  x.  13,  14,  15.     '  And  they  brought  young 
'  children  to  him,  that  he  fliould  touch  them,  and 

*  his  difciples -rebuked  thofe  that  brought  thera  ;. 
'  but  when  Jefus  faw  it,  he  was  much  difpleafed, 
'  and  faid  unto  them,  Suffer  the  little  children  to 
'  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of  fuch  is 
'  the  kingdom  of  God  :  verily  I  fay  unto  you,  whofoe-ver 

*  fjall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child, 
'  he  fiOall  not  enter  therein.^ 

Mark.  i.  16,  17.     '  Now  as  he  walked  by  the  fear 
*•  of  Galilee,  he  faw  Simon  and  Andrew  his  brother 

'  calling 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIAN1T\^  275 

*  ending  a  net  into  ihe  fca,  for  they  were  lifliefs  ; 
'  and  Jcfus  faid  unto  thtm.  Come  yc  after  inc,  a?id  I 
'  %i!ill  make  yoitjijhcrs  of  men.* 

Luke  xi.  27.     '  And  it  come  to  pafs  as  he  fpake. 

*  thcfe  tilings,  a  certain  woman  of  the  company  life 
'  up  her  voice  and  faid  unto  him,  Blcfild  is  the 
'  womb  that  bare  thee,  and  the  paps  which  thou 
'  hall  fucked  ;  but  he  faid,  2ri7,  rather  blcjfcd  are 

*  they^  that  hear  the  ivord  of  God ^  and  keep  It.^ 

Luke  xiii.    1 — 5.     '  There  were  prefcnt   at  that 

*  feafon  foine  that  told  him  of  the  Galileans,  whofir 
'  Mood  Pilate  had  mingled  with  their  facrifices  ;  and 
'  Jefus  anfwering,  laid  unto  them,  Suppofe  ye  that 

*  thefe  Galileans  ivcre  finners  above  all  the  Galileans, 

*  becaufe  they  fuffered  fiich  things  ?  I  tell  you  nay^  but 
'  except  ye  repent,  ye  Jhall  all  likeivife  pcrifh.* 

Luke  xiv.    15.     '  And  when  one  of  them,  that 

*  fat  at  meat  with  him  heard  ihcfe  things,  he  faid 
'  unto  him,  BlcU'ed  is  he  ihat  Ihall  eat  bread  in  the 

*  kingdom  of  God.  Then  faid  he  unto  him,  A  cer- 
'  tain  man  made  a  great  fupper,  and  bade  many,''  Sec, 
The  parai'le  is  rather  too  long  for  inferiion,  but 
affords  a  ftriking  inftance  tsf  Chriil's  manner  of 
raifing  a  difcourfe  from  the  occafion.  Obferve  alfo 
in  the:  fame  chapter,  two  oihcr  examples  of  advice, 
drawn  from  the  circumihinces  of  the  entertainment, 
and  the  bchavi«)ur  of  the  guefts. 

We  will  now  fee,  how  tliis  manner  difcovcrs  itfclf 
in  S/.  'Jobn'%  hillory  of  ChrilL 

John  vi.  26.  '  And  when  they  hid  found  him 
'  on  the  other  {\i^<i  of  the  fea,  they  fiiid  unto  lum, 

*  Rabbi,  when  camel!  th(ni  hiihtr?  Jefus  anfucred 
'  them,  and  faid.  Verily  I  fay  unto  you,  ye  fcek  me 
'  not  becaufe  yc  faw  the  miracles,  but  becaufe  ye  did 
'  eat  of  the  loaves  and  were  filkd.  Labour  not  for 
'  the  meat  which  perijheth,  but  for  that  meat  luhich 
'  endureth  unto  everlajiin^  life,  which  the  Son  of 
'  man  Jhall  give  unto  you.' 

'T  2  John 


276  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

John  Iv.  12.  '  Art  thou  greater  than  our  father 
'  Abraham,  who  gave  us  the  well,  and  drank  there- 

*  of  himfelf,  and  his  children,  and  his  cattle  ?  Jefus 
'  anfwered  and  faid  unto  her  fthe  woman  of  Samaria), 
'  whofoever  drinketh  of  this  water  (liall  thiril  again, 
'  but  ivhofoevcr  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I  jhall 
'  give  him^  fnall  never  thirjl ;  but  the  water  that  1 
''jhall  give  him  ^  Jhall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water, 
''  fpringing  up  into  ever  la/ling  life.* 

John  iv.  31.     *  In  the  mean  while,  his  difciples 
'  prayed  him,  faying,  Mafler,  eat;  but  he  faid  unto , 
'  them,  I  have   meat   to  eat  that  ye   know  not  of« 
'  Therefore  faid  the  difciples  one  to  another.  Hath 
'  any  man  brought  him  ought  to  eat  ?  Jefus  faith 

*  unto  them,  My  meat  is,  to  do  the  will  of  him  that 
^  fent  me,  and  to  finiflo  his  work,* 

John  ix.  I — 5.  '  And  as  Jefus  paffed  by  he  faw 
'  a  man  which  was  blind   from  his  birth:  and  his 

*  difciples  afked  him,  faying,  who  did  fm,  this  man 
'  or  his  parents,  that  he  was  born  blind  ?  Jefus  an- 

*  fwercd,  neither  hath  this  man  finned,  nor  his 
'  parents,  but  that  the  works  of  God  iliould  be  made 

*  manifefl  in  him.  /  ;;?///?  work  the  works  of  him  that 
^  fent  me,  while  it  is  day  ;  the  night  comet h,  wJjcn  no 
'  man  can  work.  As  long  as  I  a?n  in  the  world,  I 
'  am  the  light  of  the  world,' 

John  ix.  35 — 40.  '  Jefus  heard  that  they  had 
'  call:  him  (the  blind  man  above-mentioned)  out; 
'  and  when  he  had  found  him,  he  faid  unto  him, 
'  Doft  thou  believe  on  the  Son  of  God?  And  he 

*  anfwered  and  faid.  Who  is  he,  Lord,  that  I  might 

*  believe  on  him  ?  And  Jefus  faid  unto  him,  Thou 

*  had  both  fcen  him,  and  it  is  he  that  talketh  with 
«  thee.     And  he  faid,  Lord,  I  believe,  and  he  wor- 

*  (hipped  him.  And  Jefus  faid,  Forjudg?ne}it  lam  come 
«  into  this  world,  that  they  which  fee  not  might  fee,  and 
4  that  they  which  fee  might  be  made  blind* 

All 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANirY.  277 

AW  that  the  reader  has  now  to  do  is  to  compare, 
the  feries  of  examples  taken  from  St.  John,  wiili 
ihc  Terics  of  examples  taken  from  the  other  evan- 
geliils,  and  to  judge  \vric;'..i.r  there  be  not  a  vifiblc 
agreement  of  manner  between  them.  In  the  above 
qnotcd  paiTages,  the  occafion  is  ftated,  as  well  as  the 
rcfleftion.  They  fcem  therefore  the  moft  proper 
for  the  purpofe  of  our  argument.  A  large,  however, 
and  curious  collecSlicm  has  been  made  by  different 
writers*,  of  inftanccs,  in  which  it  is, extremely  pm- 
bable,  that  Chrift  fpoke  in  alluiion  to  fome  ohjea, 
or  fome  occafion  then  before  him,  thoui^h  the  men- 
tion of  the  occafion,  or  of  the  objcft,  be  omitted  in 
the  hiftory.  1  only  obferve  that  ihefe  inftanccs  arc 
comm.on  to  St.  John's  gofpel  with  the  other  three. 

I  conclude  this  article  by  remarking,  tliat  nothing 
of  this  ?nanner  is  perceptible  in  thefpeeches  recorded 
in  the  Acts,  or  in  any  other  but  ihofe  which  are  at- 
tributed to  Chrift,  and  that,  in  truth,  it  was  a  very 
unlikely  manner  for  a  forger  or  fabulilt  to  attempt ; 
and  a  manner  very  difficult  for  any  writer  to  execute, 
if  he  had  to  fupply  all  the  materials,  both  the  inci- 
dents, and  the  obfcrvations  upon  them,  out  of  his 
own  head.  A  forger  or  a  fabulilt  would  have  made 
for  Chrill,  difcourfes  exhorting  to  virtue  and  diffua- 
ding  from  vice  in  general  terms.  It  wcmM  never 
have  entered  into  the  thoughts  of  either,  to  have 
crowded  together  fuch  a  number  of  allufions,  to 
time,  place,  and  other  little  circumllances,  as  occur, 
for  initance,  in  the  fermon  on  the  mount,  and  which 
nothing  but  the  aftual  prefcnce  of  the  obje£ls  could 
liave  fuggefted*. 

II.  There  appears  to  me  to  exift  an  affinity  br- 
iweeo  the  hillory  of  Chrill's  placing  a  little  child  in 

*  Newton  on  Dan.  p.  148.  note  a.  Jcrtin  Dif.  p.  213. 
Blfliop  La-A-'s  Life  of  Chrilt. 

t  Sec  Blfliop  I^w'l  Life  of  Chrift. 

T  3  the 


278  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  midft  of  his  difciples,  as  related  hy  the  three  iiril 
evangelifis*,  and  the  hidory  of  Chiift's  wafliing  hvs 
difciples  feet,  as  given  by  St.  John -[■.  In  the  ftories 
themfelves  there  is  no  rcfemblance.  But  the  affinity 
"which  I  would  point  out,  confids  in  thefe  two 
articles,  firft,  that  both  ftories  clenote  the  emulation 
which  prevailed  amQUgfl:  Chrift's  difciples,  and  his 
own  care  and  dcfne  to  correct  it.  The  moral  of 
both  is  the  fame.     Secondly,  that  both  flories  are 

ticiraens  of  the  fame  manner  of  teaching,  viz.  by 
ion;  a  mode  of  emblematic  inftruftion  extremely 
peculiar,  and,  in  thefe  palfages,  afcribed,  we  fee,  to 
our  Saviour,  hy  the  three  {irfl  cvangelills  and  by  St. 
John,  in  indances  totally  unlike,  and  without  the 
fraallefl:  fufoicion  of  their  borrowinc^  from  each  other. 

III.  A  fingulariiy  in  Chrifl's  language,  which  runs 
through  all  the  evangelids,  and  which  is  found  in 
thofe  difcourfes  of  Sr.  John,  that  have  nothing  fimi- 
lar  to  them  in  the  other  gofprls,  is  the  appellation 
of '  the  fon  of  man ;'  and  it  is  in  all  the  evangelifts 
found  under  the  peculiar  circumftance  of  being  ap- 
plied by  Chrifi  to  himfelf,  but  of  never  being  iifed 
of  him,  or  towards  hiin,  by  any  other  perfon.  It 
occurs  feventecn  times  in  Matthew's  gofpel,  twelve 
times  in  Mark's,  twenty-one  times  in  Luke's,  and 
eleven  times  in  John's,  and  always  with  this  reftric- 
tion. 

IV.  A  point  of  agreement  in  the  condu^fl:  of  Chrifi, 
as  reprefcnted  by  his  dilferent  hiftorians,  is  that  of 
his  withdrawing  himfe'f  out  of  the  way,  whenever 
the  behaviour  of  the  rauhltude  indicated  a  difpofition 
to  tumult. 

Mat.  viv.  22.  *  And  (Iraightway  Jefcs  conflrained 
*  his  difciples  to  get  into  a  fliip,  and  to  go  before 
'  liim  unto  the  other  fide,  while  he  fent  the  muki- 

*  M;at  xviii.  i.   Mark  h.  33.   Luke  ix.  46.        f  xiii.  3. 

*  tude 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRIST] ANIiY.  279 

*  iu<.lc  ;^\vay.      And  when  he  had  (cm  the  iTiiiltitude 
*•  away,  he  went  up   into  a  monnrain  apart  to  fr.iy.' 

Luke  V.  15,  16.     '  But   fo  much  the  more  went 

*  there  a  fame  abroad  of  him,  and  qreat  miiliitudes 
'  came  togetlier  to  hear,  ami  to  he  healed  by  him  of 

*  their  infirmities  ;  and  lie  withdrew  liimfelf  into  the 
'  wildernefs  and  prayed.* 

Witli  thefe  quotations  coaipare  the  fol!owing 
from  'St.  John. 

C1ki;d.  v.    13.     '  And  he  that  was  healed  wifl  not 

*  who  i:  wa«;,  for  Jcfus  had  conveyed  himfelf  away, 

*  a  multitude  being  in  that  place.' 

Chap.  vi.  15.     *  When  J-efiis  therefore  perceived 

*  that  they  would  come  and  take  him  by  force  to 

*  make  him  a  king,  he  departed  again  into  a  moim- 
'  by  hiTifeif  alone.* 

In  this  kifl:  inftance  St.  John  gives  the  motive  of 
Ckrifl's  condu(5i,  which  is  left  unexplained  by  the 
other  evangelids,  who  have  related  the  conduft 
itfelf. 

V.  Another,  and  a  more  fmgv.lar  circumftance  in 
Chrifi's  minidry,  was  the  refcrve,  which,  for  fomc 
iime,  and  upon  fome  occafions  at  kaft,  lie  .uf\;d  in 
declaring  his  own  chari'.^er,  and  his  leaving  it  to  be 
colIe<fted  from  his  works  rather  than  his  profcfiions. 
lufl  reafons  for  this  referve  hive  been  afii<>ned*. 
But  it  is  not  what  one  would  have  expelled.  Wc 
meet  wi:h  it  in  St.  Matthew's  gafpcl  (xvi.  20.X 
'  Then  charged  he  his  difciples  that  tliey  fliould  tell 

*  no  man  that  he  was  Jefus  the  Chrifl:.*  Again,  auH 
upon  a  diiferent  occafion,  in  Mark  (iii.  4.),  *  And 
'  unclean  fpirits,  when  they  faw  him,  fell  down  before 
'  him,  and  cried,  faying,  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God; 

*  and  he  (Iraitly  charged  them  that  they  (hould  not 

*  make   him  known.*     Another  inllance  iimilar   to 

*  See  Locke's  Reafoiiriblcncfs  of  ChrilVunity. 

T  4  this 


28«>  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

this  iafl:  is  recorded  by  St.  Lukf  (iv.  41).  What  We 
thus  find  in  rhe  thret-  evangelifts,  appears  alfo  in  a 
paflaee  of  St.  John  (x.  24.  35).  '  Then  came  the 
'  Jews  round  about  him  and  f^id  unto  him,  How 

*  long  doft  thou  make  us  to  doubt?  Tf  ihou  be  the 
'  Chrifl,  tell  us  plainly.*  The  occafion  here  was 
different  fnnii  any  of  the  reft;  and  it  was  indirect. 
We  only  difcover  Chrifl's  conduft  through  the  up- 
braidings  of  his  adverfnries.  But  all  this  ftrengthens 
the  argument.  1  had  rather  at  any  time  furprife  a 
coincidence  in  fome  oblique  allufion,  thun  read  it  in 
broad  affertioos. 

VI.  In  our  Lord's  commerce  with  his  difciples, 
one  very  obfervahle  particular,  is  the  difticulty 
which  they  found  in  underftanding  him,  when  he 
fpoke  to  them  of  the  future  part  of  his  hillory, 
efpecially  of  what  related  to  his  paffion  or  refur- 
reclion.  This  difficulty  produced,  as  was  natural, 
a  wifli  in  them  to  alk  for  further  explanation  ;  from 
which,  however,  they  appear  to  have  been  fome- 
times  kept  back,  by  the  feat  ^>f  giving  offence. 
All  thele  circumftances  are  diflinftly  noticed  by 
Mark  and  Luke,  upon  the  occafion  of  his  informing 
them  (probably  for  the  firft  time)  that  the  fon  of 
man    fliould   be   delivered  into    the  hands  of  men. 

*  They  underftood  not,*  the  evangelills  tell  us, 
'  this  faying,  and  it  was  hid  from  them,  that  they 

*  perceived  it  not ;  and  they  feared  to  afic  him  of 

*  that  fayiug.'  (Luke  ix.  45.  Mark  ix.  32.)  In 
St.  John's  gofpcl  we  have,  upon  a  different  occa- 
fion and  in  a  different  inftance,  the  fame  difficulty 
of  apprehenfinn,  the  fame  curiofity,  and  the  fame 
reflraint : — '  A  little  while,  and  ye  Ihall  not  fee  me, 
'  and  again  a  little  while,  and  ye  fliall  fee  me,  be- 
'  caufe  I  go  to  the  Father.  Then  faid  fome  of  his 
'  difciples  among  themfelves,  what   is  this  that  he 

*  faith  unto  us  ?  a  little  while  and  ye  fhall  not  fee 

*  me. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  281 

*  me,  and  again  a  little  while  aVid  ye  fhall  fee  mc, 

*  and  becMufi   1  go  to  the  Father?  They  faid,  tliere- 

*  fore,   what  is  this  that    lie   faith,   a  little   while  ? 

*  We  cannot  tell  what  he  faith.      Now  Jefus  knew 

*  tint  they  were  defirous  to  allc  him,  and  faid  unto 
'  them,'  &:c.      John  xvi.  16.  et.  fcq. 

VII.  The  meeknefs  oF  Chrift  during  his  lafl  fuf- 
ferings,  which  is  confir-icuoiis  in  tiie  narratives  of 
the  three  firll  evangelifts,  is  prefervcd  in  that  of  St. 
John  under  feparate  examples.  The  anfwer  given 
by  him,  in  Sr.  John*,  when  the  high  pried  afked 
him  of  his  difciples  and  his  doftrine,  '  I  fpake  openly 

*  to  the  world,  I  ever  taught  in  the  fynagoyue,  and 
'  in  the  temple,  whither  the  Jews  always  refort, 
'  and  in  fecret  have  I  faid  nothing  ;  v»'hy  alkefl:  thou 
'  me  ^  Aik  them  which  heard  me  what  1  have  faid 

*  unto  them  ;*  is  very  much  of  a  piece  v/ith  his 
reply  to  the  armed  party  which  feized  him,  as  wc 
read  it  in  St.   Mark's  gofpel,  and  in  St.  Luke's  f  : 

*  Are  ye  come  out  as  againfl:  a  thief  with  Avord-^ 
'  and  with  fUves  to  take  me  ?  I  was  daily  with 
'  you  in  the  temple  teaching,  and  ye  took  me  not.* 
In  both  anfwers  we  difccrn  the  fame  tranquillity, 
the  fame  reference  to  his  public  teaching.  His 
aiild  cxpoftulation  with  Pilate  upon  two  fevcral  oc- 
cafions,  as  related  by  St.  John  +,  is  delivered  witli 
the  fame  unruffled  temper,  as  that  which  condui5led 
him  through  the  laft  fcene  of  his  life,  as  defcribed 
by  his  other  cvangelifts.  His  anfwer,  in  St.  John's 
gofpel,  to  the  olTicer  who  (truck  him  with  the  palm 
of  his  hand,  '   If  I  have  fpoken  evil,  bear  wituefs  of 

*  the  evil,  but  if  well,  why  fmiteil  thou  me  §?'  was 
fuch  an  anfwer,  as  might  have  been  looked  for 
from  the  pcrfon,  who,  as  he  proceeded  to  the  place 

*  xviii.  20.  f  Miirk  xiv.  48.     Luke  xxii.  ^2. 

^   xviii  34.     xix.  11.  §   xxviii.  23. 

of 


a83  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

of  execution,  h'u\  \\h  companions  (as  we  are  told 
hy  St.  lAike  *)  weep  not  for  him  but  for  ibemfelves, 
their  pofterity,  and,  their  country ;  and  who  prayed 
for  his  murderers,  wHilft  he  was  fufpendcd  upon 
the  crofs  '  for  they  know  not  (faid  he)  what  they 
'  do/  The  urgency  alfo  of  his  judges  and  his  pro- 
fecutors  to  extort  from  him  a  defence  to  the  accu- 
fation,  and  bis  unwillingncfs  to  make  any  (which 
was  a  peculiar  circumflance)  appears  in  St.  John's 
account,  as  well  as  in  that  of  the  other  evangelids  |, 
There  are  moreover  two  other  correfpondencies 
between  St.  John's  hiftory  of  the  tranfaclion  and 
theirs,  of  a  kind  fomewhat  dilTercnt  from  thofe 
which  we  have  been  now  mentionin<T. 

O 

The  three  firfl:  evangeliils  record,  what  is  called 
our  Saviour's  agony,  /.  e.  his  devotion  in  the  gar- 
den, immediately  before  he  was  apprehended ; 
in  which  narrative  they  all  make  him  pray,  '  that 
'  the  cup  might  pafs  from  him.'  Thi^  is  the  par- 
ticular metaphor  which  they  all  afcribe  to  him.  Sr. 
Matthevv/'  adds,  '  O    my  Father,   if  this    cup   may 

*  not  pafs  away  from  me,  except  I  drink  it,  thy 
'  will  be  done  J.'  Now  St.  John  does  not  give 
the  fcene  in  the  garden  ;  but  when  Jefus  was  feized, 
and  fome  rcfiilance  was  attempted  to  be  made  by 
Peter,  Jefus,  according  to  his  account,  checked  the 
attempt  with  this  reply :  '  Put  up  thy  fword  into 

*  the  (lieaih  ;  the  cup>ivhich  my  Father  hath  given 
'  fhall  1  not  drink  it  §  ?'  This  is  fomething  more 
than  bare  confillency  :  it  is  coincidence :  becaufe  it 
is  extremely  natural,  that  Jefus,  who,  before  he  was 
apprehended,  had  been  praying  his  Father,  that 
'  tliat  cup  might  pafs  from  him,'  yet  with  fuch  a 
pious  retraflion  of  his  requeft,  as  to  have  added, 

*  xxiii.  23.  f  See  John  xix.  9.  Mat.  xxvli.  14.  Luke  xxiii,  9. 
4:  xxvi.  42.  §   xviii.  11. 

*If 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  2^1 

*  if  this  cup  may  not  pafs   from    me,  tliy  will   be 

*  done  ;'  it  was  natural,  I  fay,  for  the  faint-  pcrfon, 
when  he  aftyally  was  apprehcn-JeJ,  to  exprcTs  it  in 
the  form  oflpcech  which  he  had  before  ufed,  *  the 
'  cup  which  my  Farher  hath  s^iven  me,  fliall  I  net 

*  drink  it  ?'  1  his  is  a  coincidence  between  writers, 
in  whofe  narratives  there  is  no  imitation,  but  i^reat 
diverfity. 

A  fecond  fnnilar  correfpon4ency  is  the  follo\^  ing  : 
Matthew  and  Mark  make  the  charge,  upon  which 
our  Lord  was  condemned,  to  be  a  threat  of  deploy- 
ing the  temple  ;    '  We  heard  him  fay,  I  will  deftroy 

*  this  temple  made  with  hands,  and  within  three 
'  days,  I  will  build  another  made  without  hands  *  ;' 
but  they  neither  of  them  inform  us,  upon  what  cir- 
cumftance  tnis  calumny  was  founded.  St.  John,  in 
the  early  part  of  his  hifloryf,  fupplies  us  with  this 
information  ;  for  he  relates,  that,  upon  our  Lord's 
firft  journey  to  Jerufjlcm,  when  the  Jews  afl:ed  him 
'  What  fign  fliewcft  thou  unto  us,   feeing  that  thou 

*  doeft   thefe   things  ?     He    anfwered,    deltroy  this 

*  tera]>le,  and  in  three  days  1  will  raife  it  up.'  This 
agreement  cculd  hardly  arifc  from  any  thing  but 
the  truth  of  the  cafe.  From  any  care  or  defign  in 
St.  John,  to  make  his  narrative  tnlly  with  the  nar- 
ratives of  the  other  evangeliils,  it  certainly  did  not 
arife,  for  no  fuch  dv-lign  appears,  but  the  abfence 
ofir. 

A  flrong  and  more  general  inflance  of  agreement, 
is  the  followiniT:.  The  three  firft  evan;Tc!iits  have 
related  the  appointment  of  the  twelve  apoflles  I  ; 
and  have  given  a  catalogue  of  their  names  in  form. 
John,  without  ever  mentioning  the  appointment,  or 
giving   the    catalogue,    fuppofes,     throughout    his 


*  Mark  xlv.  5.         f  ii.  19. 

t  Mat.  X.  I.     Mark.  iii.  14.     Luke  vl.  12. 


whole 


284  A  VIEV7  OF  THE 

whole  narrative,  Chrifl  to  be  accompanied  by  a 
feleft  party  of  difciples  ;  the  number  of  thefe  to 
be  twelve  *  ;  and,  v/hcnevcr  he  happens  to  notice 
any  one  as  of  that  number  |,  it  is  one  included  in 
the  catalogue  of  the  other  evangelifts ;  and  the 
names  principally  occurring  in  the  courfe  of  his 
hiftory  of  Chrid,  are  the  names  extant  in  their  lift. 
This  lafh  agreement,  which  is  of  confidsrable  mo- 
ment, runs  through  every  gofpel,  and  through  every 
chapter  of  each. 

AH  this  befpeaks  reality. 


CHAP.     V. 

Originality  of  our  Saviour* s  charaBer, 


1  HE  Jews,  whether  right  or  wrong, 
had  underfiood  their  prophecies  to  foretell  the  ad- 
vent of  a  perfon,  who,  by  fome  fuperiiatural  affift- 
ance,  fliould  advance  their  nation  to  independence, 
and  to  a  fupremc  degree  of  fplendour  and  profpe- 
rity.  This  was  the  reigning  opinion  and  expecta- 
tion of  the  times. 

Now,  had  Jefns  been  an  enthufiafl,  it  is  probable 
that  his  enthufiafm  would  have  fallen  in  with  the 
popular  delufion,  and  that,  whilft:  he  gave  himfelf 
out  to  be  the  perfon  intended  by  thefe  predictions, 
he  would  have  affumed  the  character,  to  which  they 
were  univerfally  fuppofcd  to  relate. 

*  vi.  7.  f  XX.  24.     vi.  71. 

Had 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  285 

Had  he  been  an  impoftor,  it  was  his  bufincfs  to 
have  fliUtere!  the  picvaihng  liopes,  hecaiife  thefe 
hopr«  uere  to  be  ihc  inllruments  of  his  attradion 
and  fuccefs. 

But,  what  is  better  th:m  conjc<f^urcs,  is  the  hS:, 
that  all  the  pretended  Meffiahs  actually  did  fo.  We 
learn  from  Jofcphus  that  there  were  many  of  thefe. 
Some  of  th'^m,  it  is  probable,  mi^'ht  be  impoftors, 
who  thought  that  arr.advantage  was  to  be  taken  of 
the  flare  of  public  opinion.  Others,  perhaps,  were 
enthufiafl:-;,  whofc  imagination  had  been  drawn  to 
this  particular  objcifl,  by  the  language  and  fenti- 
ments  which  prevailed  around  them.  I3ut,  whether 
impollors  or  enthufiails,  they  concurred  in  producing 
ihemfelves  in  the  chara(fler  which  their  country- 
men looked  foV,  that  is  to  fay,  as  the  redorcrs  and 
deliverers  of  the  nation,  in  that  fenfe  in  which 
rcftoration  and  deliverance  were  expected  by  the 
Jews. 

Why  therefore  Jefus,  if  he  was,  like  them,  eitlier 
an  enthufiafl  or  impoflor,  did  net  purfuc  the  fame 
condu£l  as  they  did,  in  framing  his  character  and 
pretenfions,  it  will  be  found  difticult  to  explain.  A 
miflion,  the  operation  and  benefit  of  which  was  to 
take  place  in  another  life,  was  a  thing  unthought 
of  as  the  fubje<fl  cf  thefe  prophecies.  That  Jefns, 
coming  to  them  as  their  Mtffiah,  fliould  come  under 
a  charafter  totally  diflcrent  from  that  in  which  they 
expefled  him ;  Ihould  deviate  from  the  general 
pcrfuafion,  and  deviate  into  pretenfions  abfohuel}' 
lingular  and  01  iginal ;  appears  to  be  inconfiftent 
with  the  imputation  of  enihullafm  or  inipoiiurc, 
both  which,  by  their  nature,  1  Ihould  expcft,  would, 
and  both  which,  throughout  the  experience  which 
this  very  fubje£l  furnilhes,  in  faft  /:ave  followed, 
the  opinions  that  obraincd  at  the  tiire. 

If 


286  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

If  it  be  fa'id,  thnt  Jcfus,  having  tried  the  other 
plaii,  turned  at  leni^th  to  this ;  I  anfwcr,  that  the 
thing  is  faid  without  evidt-nce  ;  that  it  was  compe- 
tent to  thr  reft  to  have  done  the  fame,  yet  that  no- 
thing of  this  fort  was  thought  of  by  any. 


CHAP.    VI. 


vJnE  argument,  \Thich  has  been  much 
relied  upon  (but  not  more  th.an  its  juft  weight  de- 
ferves),  is  the  conformity  of  the  fdS.s,  occafionally 
mentioned  or  referred  to  in  fcripture,  with  the  ftate 
of  thini^s  in  thofe  times,  as  reprefented  by  toreign 
and  independent  accounts.  Which  conformity  proves, 
that  the  writers  of  the  New,  Teftament  poiTcffed  a 
fpecies  of  local  knowledge,  which  could  only  belong 
to  an  inhabitant  of  that  country,  and  to  one  living 
in  that  age.  This  argument,  if  well  made  out  bj 
examples,  is  very  little  (liort  of  proving  the  abfolute 
genuinenefs  of  the  writings.  It  carries  them  up  to 
the  age  of  the  reputed  authors,  to  an  age,  in  which 
it  muft  have  been  difficult  to  impofe  upon  the  Chrif- 
tian  public  forgeries  in  the  names  of  thofe  authors, 
and  in  which  there  is  no  evidence  that  any  forgeries 
were  attempted.  It  proves  at  Icaft,  that  the  books, 
whoever  were  the  authors  of  them,  were  compofed 
by  perfons  living  in  the  time  and  country  in  which 
thefe  things  were  tranfaflcd,  and  confequently  capa- 
ble, by  their  fituaiion,  ot  being  well  informed  of 
the  fafls  which  they  relate.  And  the  argument  is 
flrongcr,  when  applied  to  the  New  Teftament,  than 

it 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  2^7 

it  is  in  ihe  cafe  of  almofl  any  other  writings,  by  rea- 
fon  of  the  mixed  nature  of  the  allufions  whicli  this 
book  contains.  The  fccne  of  action  is  not  confined 
to  a  fingle  country,  but  elifplayed  in  the  greatefl  ci- 
ties of  the  Roman  empire.  Aikifions  are  made  to 
the  manners  and  principles  of  the  Greelcs,  the  Ro- 
mans, and  the  Jews;  '1  his  variety  renders  a  for- 
gery proportionabiy  more  dilliculr,  efpecialiy  to 
writers  of"  a  pollerior  age.  A  Greek  or  Roman 
Chrilfian,  who  hved  in  the  fecond  or  third  century, 
would  have  been  wanting  in  Jewilh  literature  ;  a 
Jewifli  convert  in  thofe  ages  would  have  been 
equally  deficient  in  the  knowledge  of  Greece  and 
Rome*. 

This,  however,  is  an  argument  which  depends 
entirely  upon  an  induiftion  of  particuhiis;  and  as, 
confequently,  it  carries  with  in  little  force,  v.iihouc 
a  view  of  the  inftances  upon  Vv'hich  it  is  built,  I  have 
to  requed  the  reader's  attention  to  a  detail  of  exam- 
ples, diftinftly  and  articulately  propofed.  In  collec- 
ting thcfe  examples,  I  have  dune  no  more  than  to 
epitomize  the  firll:  volume  of  the  fiifl:  part  of  Dr. 
Lardner's  credibility  of  the  gofpcl  hidory.  And  I 
have  brought  the  argument  within  its  prcfent  com- 
pafs,  fird,  by  paffmg  over  fome  of  his  feftions  in 
which  the  accorJancy  appeared  to  me  Icfs  certain, 
or  upon  fubje<^s  not  fufHciently  appropriate  or  cir- 
cumdantial ;  fecondly,-  by  contra^ing  every  fe<ftion 
into  the  feweft  wordi;  pollible,  contenting  myfclf  for 
the  mod  part  with  a  mere  appofiiion  of  pafTages ; 
and,  thirdly,  by  omitting  many  difquifirions,  which, 
though  learned  and  accurate,  drc  not  abfohucly  nc- 
cefTary  to  the  underdanding  or  veiification  of  the 
argument. 

*  Michaells's  IntroduiHion  lo  die  N.w  Tcftarscnt,  (MarlL's 
tjranflation)  c.  ii.  foe.  xi. 


288  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

The  wrftcr,  principally  made  ufe  of  in  the  enquiry, 
is  Jofephus.  Jofephus  was  born  at  Jerufalem  four 
years  after  ChrifFs  afcenfion.  He  wrote  his  hiflory 
of  the  Jewilli  war  fome  time  after  the  deftru£tion  of 
Jerufalem,  which  happened  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
fcventy,  that  is  thirty-feven  years  after  the  afcenfion ; 
and  his  hiftory  of  the  Jews  he  finifhed  in  ihe  year 
ninety-three,  that  is,  fixty  years  after  the  afcenfion. 

At  the  head  of  each  article,  I  have  referred,  by 
figures  included  in  parenthefes,  tc  the  page  of  Dr. 
Lardner's  volume,  where  the  feftion,  from  which 
the  abrid!i;ment  is  made,  begins.  The  edition  uled 
is  that  of  1 741. 

I.  (p.  14.)  Mat.  xi.  22.  '  When  he  (Joft=ph) 
heard,  that  Arthelaus  did  reign  in  Judjea,  in  the 
room  of  his  father  Herod,  he  was  afraid  to  go 
thither ;  notwithftanding,  being  warned  of  God  in 
a  dream,  he  turned  afide  into  the  parts  of  Galilee.' 

In  this  pafi^age  it  is  afferted,  that  Archelaus  fuc- 
ceeded  Herod  in  Judcea ;  and  it  is  implied  that  his 
power  did  not  extend  to  Galilee.  Now  we  learn 
from  Jofephus,  that  Herod  the  Great,  whofe  domi- 
nion included  all  the  land  of  IfraeJ,  appointed  Arche- 
laus his  fuccelTor  in  Judaa^  and  affigned  the  rejt  of 
his  dominions  to  other  fons  ;  and  that  this  difpofi' 
tion  was  ratified,  as  to  the  main  parts  of  it,  by  the 
Romau  emperor*. 

St.  Matthew  fays,  that  Archelaus  reigned,  was 
king  in  Judcea.  Agreeably  to  this,  we  are  informed 
by  Jofephus,  not  only  that  Herod  appointed  Arche- 
laus his  fuccefibr  in  Judcea,  but  that  he  alfo  ap- 
pointed him  with  the  title  of  King;  and  the  verb 
[^/2«fl-,xei;j,j  which  the  evangeliU:  ufes  to  denote  the 
rovcrnment  and  rank  of  Archelaus,  is  ufed  likewife 
by  Jofephus |. 

*  Ant.  lib.  17,  c,  8,  fee.  I.       f  De  Bell,  lib.  i,  c.  33,  fee.  7. 
2  The 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  289 

The  cruelty  of  Arcbelaus's  charaaer,  which  is 
not  obfcurely  iniimiittd  by  the  evangelifl:,  agrees 
with  clivers  particulars  in  his  hiftory,  preferved  by 
Jofcphus.  '  In  the  tenth  year  of  his  government, 
<  the  chief  of  the  Jews  and  Samaritans,  not  being 

*  able  to  endure  his  cruelty  and  tyranny,  prefenied 

*  con.plaints  a':;ainft  him  toCcefur*.* 

II.  (p.  19.)  Luke  iii.  i.  Mn  the  fifteenth  year 
«  of  the  reitrn  of  Tiberius  Ctefar — Herod  being  te- 
«  trarch  of  Galilee  and  his  brother  Philip  tetrarch  of 
'  Iturea  and  of  the  region  of  Trachonitis — the  word 

*  of  God  came  unto  John.' 

By  the  will  of  Herod  the  Great,  and  the  decree 
of  Au^uffus  thereupon,  his  two  fons  were  appointed, 
one  1  Herod  Antipns)  tetrarch  of  Galilee  and  Peraea, 
and  the  other  (Philip)  tetrarch  of  Trachonitis  and 
the  neighbouring  countries f.  We  have  therefore 
thefe  two  perfons  in  the  fituations  in  which  St.  Luke 
places  them  ;  and  alfo,  that  they  were  in  thefe  fitu- 
ations in  the  fifteenth  year  of  Tiberius,  in  other 
words,  that  they  continued  in  poffeflion  of  their  ter- 
ritories and  titles  until  that  time,  and  afterwards, 
appears  from  a  pafTage  of  Jofephus,  which  relates 
of  Herod,  '  that  he  was  removed  by  Caligula,  the 
'  fuccefTor  of  Tiberius}  ;  and  of  Philip,  that  he  died 
<  in  the  twentieth  year  of  Tiberius,  when  he  had 
«  aoverned  Trachonitis  and  Batanea  and  Gaulaniiis 
«  thirty  feven-years  § . 

IIL  (p.  20'.)  Mark  v.  17  1|.  '  Herod  had  fent 
«  forth,  and  laid  hold  upon  John,  and  bound  him  ia 
«  prifon,  for  Herodias'  fake,  his  brother  Philip's 
*  wife  ;  for  he  had  married  her.' 

*  Ant.  lib.  i7,c.  i3,fec.  I.         t  Ant.  lib.  17,0.  8. fee.  i. 
X  Ant.  lib.  18,  c.  8.  fee.  2.  §  Ant.  lib.  18,  c.  5.  fee.  6. 

f|  See  alfo  Mat.  xiv.  1—13.     Luke  iii.  19. 

y  With 


2^0  ~  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

With  this  compare  Jof.  Ant.  1.  i8.  c.  6.  fee.  r. 
'  He  (Herod  the  rctrarch)  rnade  a  vifit  to  Herod  his 
'  brother — Here,  falHng  in  love  with  Herodias,  the 
wife  of  the  faid  Herod,  he  ventured  to  make  her 
propofals  of  marriage*.' 

Again,  Mark  vi.  22.  *  And  v^^hcn  the  daughter 
of  the  faid  Herodias  came  in  and  danced.' 

With  this  alfo  compare  Jof.  Ant.  1.  18.  c.  6.  fee. 
4.  '  Herodias  w^as  married  to  Herod,  fon  of  Herod 
the  Great.  They  had  a  daughter^  whofe  name  was 
Salome ;  after  whofe  birth,  Herodias,  in  utter  vio- 
lation of  the  laws  of  her  country,  left  her  hufband 
then  living,  and  married  Herod  the  tetrarch  of  Ga- 
lilee, her  hufband's  brother  by  the  father's  fide.' 

IV.  (p.  29.)  Afts  xii.  I.  '  Now  about  that  time, 
Herod  the  King  flretched  forth  his  hands,  to  vex  cer- 
tain of  the  church.'  In  the  conclufion  of  the  fame 
chapter,  Herod's  death  is  reprefented  to  have  taken 
place,  foon  after  this  perfecution.  The  accuracy  of 
our  hiftorian,  or,  rather,  the  unmeditated  coinci- 
dence, which  truth  of  its  own  accord  produces,  is 
in  this  inftance  remarkable.  There  was  no  portion 
of  time,  for  thirty  years  before,  nor  ever  afterwards. 


*  The  affinity  of  the  two  accounts  is  unqueftionable ;  but 
there  is  a  difference  in  the  name  of  Herodias's  firft  hufband, 
which,  in  the  evangelift,  is  Philip,  in  Jofephus,  Herod.  The 
difficulty,  however,  will  not  appear  confiderable,  when  we 
recoiled  how  common  it  was,  in  thofe  times,  for  the  fame 
perfon  to  bear  two  names:  *  Simon  which  is  called   Peter j 

*  JLebbeus,  whofe  firname  is  Thaddeus  ;    Thomas,    which  is 

*  called  Didymus;   Simeon,  v/ho  was  called  Niger;  Saul,  who 

*  was  alfo  called  Paul.'    The  folution  is  rendered  likewife  eafier 

*  in  the  prefent  cafe,  by  the  confideration,  that  Herod  the  Great 

*  had  children  by  feven  or  eight  wives  ;  that  Jofephus  mentions 
three  of  his  fons  under  the  name  of  Herod  ;  that  it  is  never- 
thelefs  highly  probable,  that  the  brothers  bore  fome  additional 
name,  by  which  they  were  diftingulfhed  from  or.e  another. 
Lud.  Vol.  II.  p   897. 

m 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  391 

in  which  there  was  a  king  at  Jcrufalem,  a  perfon 
exercifing  that  authority  in  Judasa,  or  to  whom  that 
title  could  he  applied,  except  the  three  hift  years  ot' 
this  Herod's  life,  within  which  period,  the  tranfac- 
tion  recorded  in  the  Afts  is  dated  to  have  taken 
place.  This  prince  was  the  qrandfon  of  Herod  the 
Great.  In  ihe  Afts  he  appears  under  his  family- 
name  of  Herod  ;  by  Jofcphus  he  is  called  Af^rippa. 
For  proof  that  he  was  a  king,  properly  fo  called,  we 
have  the  teftimony  of  Jofcphus  in  full  and  direct 
terms  : — '  Sending  for  him  10  his  palace,  Caligula 
put  a  crown  upon  his  head,  and  appointed  him  king 
of  the  letrarchie  of  Philip,  intending  alfo  to  give 
him  the  tetrarchie  of  Lyfanias*.*  And  that  Judsea 
was  at  lad,  but  not  until  the  lad,  included  in  his 
dominions,  appears  by  a  fubfequent  paflage  of  the 
lame  Jofephus,  wherein  he  tells  us,  that  Claudius 
by  a  decree  confirmed  to  Agrippa  the  dominion 
which  Caligula  had  given  him,  adding  alfo  'Judaa 
and  Samaria,  in  the  utmojl  extent,  as  polJiJJid  by  his 
grandfather  Herod -f. 

V.  (P.  32.)  ASiS  xii.  ig,  23.  "  And  he  (Tlerod') 
went  down  from  Judcea  to  Ccefarea,  and  there  abode. 
— And  upon  a  fet  day,  Herod,  arrayed  in  royal 
apparel,  fat  upon  his  throne,  and  made  an  oration 
unto  them,  and  the  people  gave  a  fliout,  faying,  it 
is  the  voice  of  a  god  and  not  of  a  man  ;  and  imme- 
diately the  angel  of  the  Lord  fmote  him,  bccaufe  he 
gave  not  God  the  glory,  and  he  was  eaten  of  worms, 
and  gave  up  the  ghoft.' 

Jof.  Ant.  hb.  xix.  c.  8.  ft^c.  2.  '  He  went  to  the 
city  Caefarea.  Here  he  celebrated  ili)\vs  in  honour 
of  Cc^far.  On  the  fccond  day  of  the  fhows,  early 
in  the  morning,  he  came  into  tl^e  theatre,  drcfTed 
in  a  robe  of  filver,  of  mod  curious  workmanfliip. 

*  Ant.  xvlii.  c.  vii.  fee.  10.  f  Ant.  xir.  c.  v.  fee.  i. 

U  2  The 


if2  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

The  rays  of  tlie  rifing  fun,  reflefted  from  fo  fplendid 
a  garb,  gave  him  a  majeftic  and  awful  appearance. 
They  called  him  a  god,  and  intreated  him  to  be 
propitious  to  them,  faying,  hitherto  we  have  refpefted 
you  as  a  man,  but  now  we  acknowledge  you  to  be 
more  than  a  mortal.  The  king  neither  reproved 
thcfe  perfons,  nor  rejefted  the  impious  flattery. — 
Immediately  after  this  he  was  feized  with  pains  in 
his  bowels  extremely  violent  at  the  very  firft. — He 
was  carried  therefore  with  all  hafte  to  his  palace. 
Thefe  pains  continually  tormenting  him,  he  expired 
in  five  days  time. 

The  reader  will  perceive  the  accordancy  of  thefc 
accounts  in  various  particulars.  The  place  (Casfarea,) 
the  fet  day,  the  gorgeous  drefs,  the  acclamations  of 
the  aflembly,  the  peculiar  turn  of  the  flattery,  the 
reception  of  it,  the  fudden  and  critical  incurfion  of 
the  difeafe,  are  circmullances  noticed  in  both  narra- 
tives. The  worms  mentioned  by  St.  Luke  are  not 
remarked  by  Jofephus,  but  the  appearance  of  thefc 
is  a  fymptom,  not  unufually,  I  believe,  attending  the 
difeafe,  which  Jofephus  defcribes,  viz.  violent  affec- 
tions of  the  bowels. 

VI.  (p.  41.)  A61:s  xxiv.  24,     '  And  after  cer- 

*  tain  days,  when  Felix  came  with  his  wife  Drufilla, 

*  which  was  a  Jewefs,  he  fent  for  Paul.' 

Jof.  Ant.  lib.  XX.  c.  6.  fee.  1,2.    '  Agrippa  gave 

*  his  fifter  Drufilla  in  marriage  to  Azizus,  king  of 
'  the  Emefenes,  when  he  had  confented  to  be  circum- 
'  cifed — But  this  marriage  of  Drufilla  with  Azizus 
'  was  diflblved  in  a  fhort  time  after  in  this  manner : 

*  when  Feiix  was  procurator  of  'Judaa^  having  had 
'  a  fight  of  her,  he  was  mightily  taken  with  her — 

*  She  was  induced  to  tranfgrefs  the  laws  of  her 
'  country,  and  marry  Felix.' 

Here  the  public  ftation  of  Felix,  the  name  of  his 
Vvifej  and  the  Angular  circumllance  of  her  religion, 

all 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  293 

all  appear  in  perfect  conformity  with  the  cvangc- 
lifl. 

VII.  (p.   46.)     '  And  after  certain  days.  King 

*  Agrippa  and   Bernice  came  to  Ca?farea  to  falutc 

*  Fcrtus.*  By  this  pafTage  wc  are  in  elTeiSl  told,  that 
Agrippa  was  a  king,  but  not  of  Judaea;  for  he  came 
to  faluie  Feltus,  who  at  this  time  adminillercd  the 
government  of  that  country  at  Casfarca. 

Now  how  does  the  hiftory  of  the  age  correfpond 
with  this  account  ?  The  Agrippa  here  fpoken  of, 
was  the  fon  of  Herod  Aggrippa,  mentioned  in  the 
laft  article;  but  that  he  did  not  fucceed  to  his  father's 
kingdom,  nor  ever  recovered  Judcea,  which  had 
been  a  part  of  it,  we  learn  by  the  information  of 
Jofephiis,  who  relates  of  him,  that,  when  his  father 
was  dead,  Claudius  intended,  at  firfl,  to  have  put  him 
immediately  in  polTelTion  of  his  father's  dominions  ; 
but  that  Agrippa  being  then  but  feventeen  years  of 
age,  the  emperor  was  pcrfuadcd  to  alter  his  mind, 
and  appointed  Cufpius  Fadus  prefect  of  Judaea  and 
the  whole  kingdom  *  ;  which  Fadus  was  fuccceded 
by  Tiberius  Alexander,  Cumanus,  Felix,  Feflus  |. 
But  that,  though  difappointcd  of  his  father's  king- 
dom, in  which  was  included  Judaea,  he  was  never- 
thelefs  rightly  ftyled  King  Agrippa;  and  that  he 
was  in  poflefFion  of  confidcrable  territories  bordering 
upon  Judiiea,  we  gather  from  the  fame  authority; 
for  after  feveral  fucccfTive  donations  of  country, 
'  Claudius,  at  the  fame  time  that  he  fent  Felix  to  be 
'  procurator  of  Judasa,  promoted  Agrippa  from 
«  Chalcis  to  a  greater  kingdom,  giving  to  him  the 
'  tctrarchie  which  had  been  Philip's;  and  he  added 
«  moreover  the  kingdom  of  Lyfanias,  and  the  province 
'  that  had  belonged  to  Varus  J.* 

*  Ant.  xix.  c.  ix.  ad  fin.         f  lb.  xx.  de  Bell.    ib.  II. 
X  De  Bell.  lib.  II.  c.  xii.  ad  fin. 

U  3  St. 


294  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

St.  Paul  addieffes  this  perfon  as  a  Jew:  '  King 
i^grippa,  believed  th  u  the  prophets  ?  I  know  that 
thou  believeft.'  As  the  (on  of  Herod  Agrippa,  who 
is  defcribed  by  Jofephus  to  have  been  a  zealous 
Jew,  it  is  reaf  nable  to  fuppofe  that  he  maintained 
the  hme  profciTion.  But  what  is  more  material  to 
remark,  becaufe  it  is  more  clofe  and  circumftantial, 
is,  that  St.  Luke,  fpeaking  of  the  father,  (xii.  i,  3.) 
calls  him  Herod  the  king,  and  gives  an  example  of 
the  exercife  of  his  aurhority  at  Jerufalem;  fpeakinc: 
of  the  fon,  (xxv.  13.)  he  calls  him  king,  but  not  of 
Judcea;  which  dillindion  agrees  corre£l1y  with  the 
hiilory, 

VIII.  (p.  51.)  Afts  xiii.  -/.  '  And  when  they 
had  gone  through  the  Ifle  (Cyprus)  to  r'aphos,  they 
found  a  certain  forceror,  a  falfe  prophet,  a  Jew, 
whofe  name  was  Barjcfu^,  which  was  with  the  de- 
puty of  the  country,  Sergius  Paulus,  a  prudent  man.* 

The  word  which  is  here  tranflated  deputy,  fignifies 
Proconful,  and  upon  this  word  cur  obfcrvation  is 
founded.  The  provinces  of  the  Roman  empire  were 
of  tvv'o  kinds  ;  thofe  belonging  to  the  emperor,  in 
which  the  governor  was  called  Proprseior ;  and 
thofe  belonging  to  the  fenate,  in  which  the  governor 
was  called  Proconful.  And  this  was  a  regular  dif- 
linftion.  Now  it  appears  from  Dio  Caflius  *,  that 
the  province  of  Cyprus,  which  in  the  original 
diftribution  was  alTigned  to  the  emperor,  had  been 
transferred  to  the  fenate,  in  exchange  for  fome 
others  ;  and  that,  after  this  exchange,  the  appro- 
priate tide  of  the  Roman  governor  was  proconful. 

lb.  xviii.  12.  (p.  ^^.)  '  And  when  Gallic  was 
deputy  f  Proconful  J  of  Achaia.' 

The  propriety  of  the  title  '  Proconful'  is  in  this 
palTage   dill   more  critical.      For   the  province   of 

*  Lib.  54.  ab.  A.  U.  732. 

Achaia, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  295 

Achaia,  after  pafliniT  from  the  fenate  to  the  emperor, 
had  been  rcilorcd  again  by  the  emperor  Claudius  to 
the  fenate  (and  confequently  its  government  had  be- 
come proconfular)  only  fix  or  fevtn  years  before  the 
time  in  which  this  tranfaftion  is  faid  to  have  taken 
place*.  And  what  confines  with  itriftncfs  the  appel- 
lation to  the  time  is,  that  Achaia  ur.di.T  tlic  following 
reign  ceafed  to  be  a  Roman  province  at  all. 

IX.  (p.  152.)  It  appears,  as  well  from  the  gene- 
ral conditiuion  of  a  Roman  province,  as  from  what 
Jofephus  dtiivcrs  concerning  the  (late  of  Judaea  in 
particular!,  that  the  power  of  life  and  death  refided 
exclufively  in  the  Roman  governor,  hut  that  the 
Jews,  ncvcrthelefs,  had  magilh-ates  and  a  council, 
invelled  with  a  fubordinate  and  municipal  authority. 
This  osconomy  is  difcerned  in  every  part  of  the  p^of- 
pcl  narrative  of  our  Saviour's  crucifixion. 

X.  (p,  203.)  A£ts  ix.  31.  '  Then  had  the  chur- 
ches reft  throughout  all  Jud;ra  and  Galilee  and 
Samaria.* 

This  re/l  fynchronifes  with  the  attempt  of  Caligula 
to  place  his  ftatue  in  the  temple  of  Jcrufalem  ;  the 
threat  of  which  outrage  produced  amonglt  tne  Jews 
a  conftcrnation,  that,  for  a  feafon,  diverted  their  at- 
tention from  every  other  object  |. 

XI.  (p.  218.)  A£is  xxi.  31.  '  And  ihcy  tool; 
Paul,  and  drew  him  out  of  the  temple;  and  forth- 
with the  doors  were  fhut.  And  as  they  went  about 
to  kill  him,  tidings  came  to  the  chief  captain  of  the 
band,  that  all  Jerufalem  was  in  an  uproar.  Then 
the  chief  capt  lin  came  near,  and  took  him  and 
commanded  him  to  be  bound  wicii  two  chains,  and 
demanded  who  he  was,  and  what  he  had  done  ;  and 

*  Suet,  in  Claud,  c.  25.  Dio,  lib  61. 
t  Ant,  lib.  20.  c.  8.  fee.  5.  c.  I.  ftc.  2. 
f  Jof.  de  Bell,  lib,  1 1,  c.  10.  fee.  i,  3>  4. 

U  4  force 


2^6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

fome  cried  one  thing,  and  fome  another  among 
the  muhitude:  and,  when  he  could  not  know  the 
certainty  for  the  tumuk,  he  commanded  him  to  be 
carried  into  the  ca/iie.  And  when  he  came  upon 
ihej^airs,  fo  it  was,  that  he  was  borne  of  the  foldiers 
for  the  violence  of  the  people.' 

In  this  quotation,  we  have  the  band  of  Roman 
foldiers  at  Jerufalem,  thdr  office  (to  fupprefs  tu- 
mults), the  caflle,  the  ftairs,  both,  as  it  fliould  feem, 
adjoining  to  the  temple.  Let  us  enquire  whether 
we  can  find  ihefe  particulars  in  any  other  record 
of  that  age  and  place. 

Jof.  de  Bell.  lib.  5.  c.  5.  fee.  8.  '  Antonia  was 
lituated  at  the  angle  of  the  weRern  and  northern 
porticoes  of  the  outer  temple.  It  was  built  upon  a 
rock  fifty  cubits  high,  fteep  on  all  fides. — On  that 
fide  where  it  joined  to  the  porticoes  of  the  temple, 
there  werejiairs  reaching  to  each  portico,  by  which 
the  guard  defcendcd ;  for  there  was  always  lodged 
here  a  Roman  legion^  and  polling  themfelves  in  their 
armour  in  feveral  places  in  the"  porticoes,  they  kept  a 
watch  on  the  people  on  the  feafl  days  to  prevent  all 
dijorders ;  for  as  the  temple  was  a  guard  to  the 
city,  fo  was  Antonia  to  the  temple.' 

XII.  (p.  224O  Afts  iv.  I.  '  And  as  they  fpake 
unto  the  people,  the  priefls,  and  the  captain  of  the 
femple,  and  the  Sadducces,  came  upon  them.*  Here 
we  have  a  public  officer,  under  the  title  of  captain 
of  the  temple,  and  he  probi'bly  a  Jew,  as  he  accom- 
panied the  prieils  and  Sadducees  m  apprehending 
the  apoftle^. 

Jof.  de  Bell.  lib.  2.  c.  17.  fee.  2.  *  And  at  the 
temple  Eleazar,  the  fon  of  Ananias  the  hi^h  prieft,  a 
young  man  of  a  bold  and  refolute  difpofition,  then 
captain^  pcrfuaded  thofe  who  performed  the  facred 
miniftrarions,  not  to  receive  the  gift  or  facrifice  of 
any  ftranger, 

XIII. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  29^ 

XIII.  (p.  225.)  A(5l<?  XXV.  12.  '  Then  Feftus, 
when  lie  had  ccnfcrred  witli  the  council^  anfwert'd, 
haft  thou  appealed  unto  Civfar  ?  unto  Ca^fir  Ihalt 
thou  go.'  '  hat  it  was  ufual  for  the  Roman  j)re- 
fidents  to  have  a  council,  confifting  of  their  friends, 
and  other  chief  Romans  in  the  province,  appears 
exprefsly  in  the  following  pafTage  of  Cicero's  ora- 
tion againft  Verres  : — *  Illud  negare  poiTes,  aut  nunc 
negabis,  te,  concilio  tuo  dinviTo,  viris  priniiniis,  qui 
in  concilio  C.  Sacerdotis  fuerant,  tibique  effe  vole- 
bant,  remotis,  de  re  judicata  judicaffe  r' 

XIV.  (p.  235.)  Afts  xvi.  13.  '  And  (at  Phi- 
lippi)  on  the  fabbsth,  we  went  out  of  a  city  by  the 
river  fide,  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be  made,'  or 
where  a  profeuc ha,  oratory,  or  place  oF  prayer  was 
allowed.  The  particularity  to  be  remarked,  is  the 
fituation  of  the  place  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be 
made,  viz.  by  a  river  ftde. 

Philo,  defcribing  the  condufl  of  the  Jews  of 
Alexandria  upon  a  certain  public  occafion,  relates 
of  them,  that  '  early  in  the  morning,  flocking  out  of 
the  gates  of  the  city,  they  go  to  the  neighbouring 
Jhorcs  (for  the  profeucha  were  deftroyed)  and  ftand- 
ing  in  a  moft  pure  place,  they  lift  up  their  voices 
with  one  accord*.' 

Jofephus  gives  us  a  decree  of  the  city  of  Halicar- 
naffus,  permitting  the  Jews  to  build  oratories,  a  part 
of  which  decree  runs  thus : — '  We  ordain  that  the 
Jews  who  are  willing,  men  and  women,  do  obfcrve 
the  fabbaths,  and  perform  facrcd  rites  according  to 
the  Jewifti  laws,  and  build  oratories  by  the  fea-fulc\. 

Tertullian,  among  other  Jevvifli  rites  and  cuftoms, 
fuch  as  feafts,  fabbaths,  fafts,  and  unleavened  bread, 
mentions  orationes  litorales,  that  is,  prayers  by  the 
river  fidej. 

*  Philo  in  Flacc.  p    382.     f  Jof.  Ant.  lib.  14,  c.  10.  fee.  24, 
X  TertuU.  ad  Nat.  Jib.  i.  c.  12. 

XV. 


apg  A  View  of  the 

XV.  (p.  2^^.)  Afts  xxvi.  5.  «  After  the  rnofl: 
Jiraiieft  fe£l  of  our  religion,  I  lived  a  Pharifee.' 

Jof.  de  Bell.  1.  I.e.  5.  fee.  2.  '  The  Pharifees 
were  reckoned  the  mofl  religious  of  any  of  the 
Jews,  and  to  be  the  mofl  exacl  and  ikilful  in  explain- 
ing the  laws.' 

In  the  original  there  is  an  agreement,  not  only 
in  the  fenfe  but  in  the  expreifion,  it  being  the  fame 
Greek  adjective  v/hich  is  rendered  '  flrait'  in  the 
Afts,  and  '  exa£i'  in  Jofephus. 

XVI.  (p.  i^'^.^  Mark  viii.  3,  4.  *  The  Phari- 
fees and  all  the  }ews,  except  they  wafli,  eat  not, 
holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders  ;  and  many  other 
things  there  be  which  they  have  received  to  hold.' 

Jof.  Ant.  lib.  13.  c.  ic.  fee.  6.  *  The  Pharifees 
have  delivered  to  the  people  many  inftitutions,  as 
received  from  the  fathers,  which  are  not  written 
in  the  law  ot  Mofes.' 

XVII.  (p.  259.)  Afts  xxiii.  8.  '  For  the  Sad- 
ducces  fay,  that  there  is  no  refurreclion,  neither  an- 
gel, nor  fpirit,  but  the  Pharifees  confefs  both.' 

Jof.  de.  Bell.  lib.  2.  c.  8.  fee.  14.  '  They  (the 
Ph^lrifees)  believe  every  foul  to  be  immortal,  but 
that  the  foul  of  the  good  only  palfes  into  another 
body,  and  the  foul  of  the  wicked  is  punifhed  with 
eternal  punifliment.'  On  the  other  hand.  Ant.  lib. 
18.  c.  I.  fee.  4.  '  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  Sadducee^ 
that  fouls  perifh  with  the  bodies.' 

XVIII.  (p.  268.)  Aas  v.  17.  *Thcn  the  high 
prieil:  rofe  up,  and  all  they  that  were  with  him, 
which  is  the  feci  of  the  Sadducees,  and  were  filled 
with  indiornation.'  St.  Luke  here  intimates  that 
the  high  prieft  was  a  Sadducee,  which  is  a  cha- 
racter one  would  not  have  expelled  to  meet  with 
in  that  ftaticn.  This  circumflance,  remarkable  as 
it  is,  was  not  however  without  examples. 

Jof. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  iqq 

Jof.  Ant.  lib.  13.  c.  10.  fee.  6,  7.  '  John  Hyr- 
canus,  high  piieft  of  the  Jews,  forfook  the  Plra- 
rii'ees  upon  a  dif^iill,  and  joined  himlclf  to  the  parry 
of  the  Sadducces.'  1  his  high  pricft  died  one  hun- 
dred and  feven  years  before  the  Chriftian  a^ra. 

Again,  (Ant.  hb.  20.  c.  8.  fee.  i.)  '  I'his  Ana- 
nus  the  younger,  who,  as  we  have  faid  jull  now, 
had  received  the  high  priellhood,  was  fierce  and 
hau.^hty  in  his  behaviour,  and  above  all  men  bold 
and  daring;  and,  moreover,  •ujas  of  the  fed  cf  ths 
Sadducees.  This  high  piielt  lived  little  more  than 
twenty  years  after  the  tranfaction  in  the  Afts. 

XIX.  (p.  282.)  Luke  ix.  51.  '  And  it  came 
to  pafs,  when  the  time  was  come,  that  he  fliould 
be  received  up,  he  fteadfaftly  fct  his  face  to  go  to 
Jernfalem,  and  fent  melTengcrs  before  his  face.  And 
they  went,  and  entered  into  a  village  of  the  Sama- 
ritans to  make  ready  for  him,  and  they  did  not  re- 
ceive him,  becaufe  his  face  was  as  though  he  would 
go  to  Jcrufalem.* 

Jof.  Ant.  lib.  20.  c.  5.  (tc.  i.  'It  was  the  cuf- 
tom  of  the  Galileans,  who  went  up  to  the  holy  city 
at  the  feafls,  to  travel  through  the  country  of  Sa- 
maria. As  they  were  in  their  jmrney,  fome  inha- 
bitants of  the  village  called  Gina[*a,  which  lies  on  . 
the  borders  of  Samaria  and  the  great  plain,  falling 
upon  them,  killed  a  great  many  of  them.* 

XX.  (p.  278.)  John  iv.  20.  '  Our  fathers,* 
fiiid  the  Samaritan  woman,  '  worfliipped  in  t/.us  moun- 
tain, and  ye  fay  that  Jerulldem  is  the  place  where 
men  ought  to  worfliip.' 

Jof.  Ant.  lib.  18.  c.  5.  fee.  i.  '  Commanding 
them  to  meet  him  at  Mount  Gcri::im,  which  is  by 
them  (the  Samaritans)  ellecmcd  the  mod  facrcd  of 
all  mountains.' 

XXI.  (p.  312.)  Mat.  xxvi.  3.  '  Then  aflemblcd 
together   the   chief  priefts,  and  the  ciders  of  the 

people, 


S©»  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

people,  into  the  palace  of  the  high  prieft,  who  was 
called  Caiaphas*  That  Caiaphas  was  high  prieft, 
and  high  prielt  throughout  the  prefidentfliip  of  Pon- 
tius Pilate,  and  confequently  at  this  time,  appears 
from  the  following  account : — He  was  made  high 
prieft  by  Valerius  Gratus,  predecejfor  of  Pontius 
Pilate,  and  was  removed  from  his  office  by  Vitellius, 
prefident  of  Syria,  after  Pilate  was  fent  away  out  of 
the  province  of  Judaea.  Jofephus  relates  the  ad- 
vancement of  Caiaphas  to  the  high  prieilhood  in 
this  manner :  '  Gratus  gave  the  high  prielthood  to 
Simon,  the  fon  of  Camithus.  He  having  enjoyed 
this  honour  not  above  a  year,  was  fucceeded  by 
Jofeph,  who  is  alfo  called  Caiaphas  *.  After  this 
Gratus  went  away  for  Rome,  having  been  eleven 
years  in  Judaea ;  and  Pontius  Pilate  came  thither  as 
his  fuccejfor.^  Of  the  removal  of  Caiaphas  from  his 
office,  Jofephus  likewife  afterward  informs  us  ;  and 
connects  it  with  a  circumflance,  which  fixes  the 
time  to  a  date,  fubfequent  to  the  determination  of 
Pilate's  government.  '  Vitellius  (he  tells  us)  or- 
dered Pilate  to  repair  to  Rome  ;  and  after  that  went 
up  himfelf  to  Jerufalem,  and  then  gave  directions 
concerning  feveral  matters.  And,  having  done  thefe 
things,  he  took  away  the  priefthood  from  the  High 
Prieft  Jofeph,  who  is  called  Caiaphas  |. 

XXII.  (Michaelis,  c.  ii.  fee.  ii.)  Afts  xxiii.  4. 
^  And  they  that  ftood  by  faid,  reviled  thou  God*s 
High  Prieft  ?  Then  fiiid  Paul,  I  wift  not,  brethren, 
that  he  was  the  High  Prieft.'  Now,  upon  enquiry 
into  the  hiftory  of  the  age,  it  turns  out,  that  Ananias, 
of  whom  this  is  fpoken,  was,  in  truth,  not  the  High 
Prieft,  though  he  was  fitting  in  judgment  in  that 
affumed  capacity.  1  he  cafe  was,  that  he  had  for- 
merly held  the  office,  and  had  been  depofed  j  that  the 

*  Ant.  lib.  18.  c.  2.  fee.  3.         \  Ant.  lib.  18.  c.  5.  fee.  3. 

perfon 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  3«t 

perfon  who  fucceeded  him  had  been  murdered  :  that 
another  was  not  yet  appointed  to  the  ftation  ;  and 
that,  during  the  vacancy,  he  had,  of  his  own  autho- 
rity, taken  upon  himfelf  the  difcharge  of  the  office*. 
This  iingular  fituaiion  of  the  high  priefthood  took 
place  during  the  interval  between  the  death  of  Jona- 
than, who  was  murdered  by  order  of  Felix,  and  the 
acccffion  of  Ifmael,  who  was  inverted  with  the  high 
priefthood  by  Agrippa  ;  and  precifely  in  this  interval 
it  happened,  that  St.  Paul  was  apprehended,  and 
brought  before  the  Jewifli  council. 

XXIII.  (p.  323O  Mat.  xxvi.  59.  '  Now  the 
chief  priejls  and  elders,  and  all  the  councils,  fought 
falfe  witnefs  againfl  him.* 

Jof.  Ant.  lib.  18.  c.  15.  fee.  3,  4.  *  Then  might 
be  feen  the  high  priejls  ibeinfelvcs  with  aihes  on  their 
heads,  and  their  breafts  naked.' 

The  agreement  here  confifts  in  fpeaking  of  the 
high  priells,  or  chief  priefts  (for  the  name  in  the 
original  is  the  fame),  in  the  plural  number,  when  in 
ftriftnefs  there  was  only  one  High  Prieft  :  which  may 
be  confidered  as  a  proof,  that  the  evangel ifts  were 
habituated  to  the  manner  of  fpeaking  then  in  ufe, 
becaufc  they  retain  ir,  when  it  is  neither  accurate 
nor  juft.  For  the  fake  of  brevity  I  have  put  down 
from  Jofephus,  only  a  fmgle  example  of  the  applica- 
tion of  this  title  in  the  plural  number ;  but  it  is  his 
ufual  ftyle. 

lb.  (p.  871.)  Luke  iii.  i.  '  Now  in  the  fifreenth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  Casfar,  Pontius  Pilate 
being  governor  of  Judea  and  Herod  being  tetrarch 
of  Galilee,  Annas  and  Caiaphas  being  the  High 
PricJls,  the  word  of  God  came  unto  John.*  There 
is  a  paiTage  in  Jofephus  very  nearly  parallel  to  this, 
and  which  may  at  leaft  ferve  to  vindicate  the  evan- 


*  Jof.  Ant.  1.  XX.  c.  5.  foe.  2.  c.  vi.  f.c.  2.  c.  9.  fe 


gellil 


3C2  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

gelill:  from  obje£lions,  with  refpe£l:  to  his  giving  the 
title  of  High  Pric-ft  to  two  perfo  is  at  the  fame  time  : 
'  (^adratus  fent  two  others  of  the  moH:  powerful 
men  of  the  Jews,  as  alfo  the  High  Priejis  Jonathan 
and  Ananias*.*  That  Annas  was  a  perfon  in  an  emi- 
nent (latiou,  and  polTefTcd  an  authority  co-ordinate 
with,  or  next  to  that  of  the  Higli  Pried  properly  fo 
called,  may  be  inferred  from  St.  John's  gofpel,  which, 
in  the  hiftory  of  Chrift's  crucifixion,  relates  that 
'  the  foldier's  led  him  away  to  Annas  firftl.'  And 
this  might  be  noticed  as  an  example  of  undeligned 
coincidence  in  the  two  evangelifts. 

Again,  (p.  870.)  Afts  iv.  6.  Annas  is  called 
the  High  Pried,  though  Caiaphas  was  in  the  office 
of  the  High  Priedhood.  In  like  manner  in  Jofe- 
phusj,  '  Jofeph  the  fon  of  Gorion,  and  the  High 
Pried  Ananus,  were  chofen  to  be  fupreme  governors 
of  all  things  in  the  city.*'  Yet  Ananus  though  here 
called  the  High  Pried  Ananus,  was  not  then  in  the 
office  of  the  High  Priedhood.  The  truth  is,  there 
is  an  indeterminatenefs  in  the  ufe  of  this  title  in  the 
gofpel  ;  fometimes  it  is  applied  exclufively  to  the 
perfon  who  held  the  office  at  the  time,  fometimes  to 
one  or  two  morL^,  Vv'ho  probably  diared  with  him 
fome  of  the  powers  or  functions  of  the  office ;  and, 
fometimes,  to  fuch  of  the  prieds  as  were  eminent  by 
their  dation  or  chara£ler  :  and  there  is  the  very  fame 
indeterminatenefs  in  Jufephus. 

XXIV.  (p.  547.)  John  xix.  19,  20.  *  And  Pilate 
Wrote  a  title,  and  put  it  on  the  crofs.'  That  fuch 
was  the  cudom  of  the  Romans  upon  thefe  occafions, 
appears  from  paflages  of  Suetonius  and  Dio  Caffius  : 
'  Patrem  familias — canibus  objecit,  cum  hoc  iiiulo 
impie  locutus  parmularius.'     Suet.  Domit.  cap.  10. 

'*  De  Bell.  lib.  1 1.  c.  12.  fee.  6.  f  xviii.  13. 

4  Lib.  2.  c.  20.  fee.  5. 

And 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  303 

And  in  Dio  Caflius  we  have  the  following  :  '  Having 
led  him  through  the  midll  of  the  court  or  afTcmbly, 
with  a  writing  /'S'''fy'''S  ^^'^'  ^^'^  '^f  ^-^'^  death,  and 
afterwards  crucifying  him.'     Book  54. 

lb.  '  And  it  was  written  in  Hebrew,  Greek,  and 
Latin.'  That  it  was  alfo  ufual,  about  this  time,  in 
Jerufaiem,  to  fet  up  advertifements  in  dijf'erent  lan- 
guages, is  gathered  from  the  account  which  Jofephus 
gives,  of  an  expoflulatory  mefT.ige  from  Titus  to  the 
Jews,  when  the  ciry  was  almoil  in  his  hands ;  in 
which  he  fays,  did  ye  not  ereft  pillars  with  infcrip- 
tions  on  them,  in  the  Greek  and  in  our  language, 
'  Let  no  one  pafs  beyond  thefe  bounds  V 

XXV.  (p.  352.)  Matth.  xxvii.  26.  '  When  he 
had  fcourgsd  Jefus,  he  delivered  him  to  be  crucified/ 

The  following  pailliges  occur  in  Jofephus  : 

*  Being  beaten,  they  were  crucified  oppofite  to  the 
citadel*.' 

'  Whom,  having  Jirji  fcourged  with  whips,  he 
crucifiedf.' 

'  He  was  burnt  alive,  having  been  firjl  beaten\.* 

To  which  may  be  added  one  from  Livy,  Lib.  1 1. 
c.  5.  *  Produclique  omnes,  '^lirgifque  caft,  ac  fecuri 
percUiTi.* 

A  modern  example  may  illuflrate  the  ufe  we  make 
of  this  inftance.  The  preceding  of  a  capital  execu- 
tion by  the  corporal  punifliment  of  the  fufFerer,  is  a 
practice  unknown  in  England,  bur  retained,  in  fome 
inftances  at  lead,  as  appears  by  the  late  execution  of 
a  regicide,  in  Sweden.  This  circumllancr,  there- 
fore, in  the  account  of  an  Englifh  execution  pur- 
porting to  come  from  an  Englilh  writer,  would  nor 
only  bring  a  fufpicion  upon  the  truth  of  the  account, 
but  would,   in  a  confuierable  degree,   impeach  in 

*  Page  1247,  24  edit.  Hudf.  f  P.  ic8o,  45  edit. 
:J:  p.  1327,  43  edit. 

pretcnfions- 


364  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

pretenfions,  of  having^  been  written  by  the  author 
whofe  name  it  bore.  Whereas  the  fdme  circum- 
ilance,  in  the  account  of  a  Swedifli  execution,  would 
verify  the  account,  and  fupport  the  authenticity  of 
the  book  in  which  it  was  found ;  or,  at  lead,  would 
prove  that  the  author,  whoever  he  was,  poffeffed 
the  information  and  the  knowledge  which  he  ought 
to  poffefs. 

XXVI.  (p.  353.)  John  xix.  36.  '  And  they 
took  Jefus,  and  led  him  away,  and  he,  bearing  his 
crofs,  went  forth.' 

Plutarch  de  iis  qui  fero  puniuntur,  p.  554.  A» 
Paris,  1624.  '  Every  kind  of  wickednefs  produces  its 
own  particular  torment,  juft  as  every  raalefaftor,  when 
he  is  brought  forth  to  execution,  carries  his  own  crofs.' 

XXVil.  John  xix.  32.  '  Then  came  the  foldiers 
and  bi-ake  the  legs  of  the  firfl:,  and  of  the  other, 
which  was  crucified  with  him.* 

Conftantine  aboliflied  the  punilhment  of  the  crofs  ; 
in  commending  which  edift,  a  heathen  writer  notices 
this  very  clrcumftance  of  breaking  the  legs:  '  Eo 
pius,  ut  etiam  vetus  veterrimumquc  fupplicium,  pa- 
ri bulum,  et  crtiribus  fuffringendis,  primus  removerit.* 
Aur.  Vi6l.  Ccef.  cap.  41. 

XXVIII.  (p.  457.)  Afts  iii.  I.  '  Now  Peter  and 
John  went  up  together  into  the  temple,  at  the  hour 
of  prayer,  being  the  ninth  hour.' 

Jof.  Ant.  Lib.  15.  c.  7.  fee.  8.  '  Twice  every 
day,  in  the  morning,  and  at  the  ninth  hour,  the 
priefts  perform  their  duty  at  the  altar.' 

XXIX.  (p.  462.)  Afts  XV.  21.  «  For  Mofes,  of 
old  lime,  hath,  in  every  city,  them  that  preach  him, 
being  read  in  the  fynagogues  every  fabbath  day.* 

Jof.  contra  Ap.  1.  2,     '  He  (Mofes)  gave  us  the 

law,  the  mod  excellent  of  all  inftiiutions ;  nor  did 

he  appoint  that  it  ftiould  be  heard,  once  only,  or 

twice,   or  often,   but  that,   laying  alide  all   other 

2  works, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         505 

works,  we  lliould  meet  together  every  lucck  to  hear 
it  rcad^  and  gain  a  perfeft  underltanding  of  it.* 

XXX.  (p.  465.)  Afts  xxi.  23.  '  We  have  four 
men,  which  have  a  voiv  on  thcin;  ihtm  take  and 
purify  thyfclf  with  them,  that  they  may  Jhave  their 
heads.* 

Jof.  de  Bell.  1.  11.  c.  15.  '  Ir  is  cuftomary  for 
thofe  who  have  been  afflifted  wiih  fome  difteinper, 
or  have  laboured  under  any  other  difficuhies,  to 
make  a  vo-iu  thirty  days  before  they  offer  facrifices, 
to  abftain  from  wine,  and  fnavs  the  hair  off  their 
heads.* 

lb.  V.  24.  '  Them  take  and  purify  thyfelf  with 
them,  an(^  be  at  charges  zoith  them  that  they  may 
Jhave  their  heads.* 

Jof.  Ant.  1.  19.  c.  6.  '  He  (Herod  Agrippa) 
coming  to  Jerufalem,  offered  up  f.icrifices  of  thankf- 
giving,  and  omitted  nothing  rtiat  was  prefcribed  by 
rbe  law.  For  v.-hich  veafon  he  alfo  ordered  a  good 
niwiber  of  Nazarites  to  be  Jhavcd.*  We  here  find 
that  it  was  an  i.ft  of  piety  among  the  Jews,  to  defray 
for  thofe  who  were  under  the  Naz.iritic  vov/,  the 
expences  which  attended  its  completion;  and  that 
the  phrafe  was,  '  that  they  might  be  iliaved.*  I  he 
cuftom  and  the  expreflion  are  both  remarkable, 
and  both  in  clofe  conformity  with  the  fciipturc 
account. 

XXXI.  (p.  474.)  2  Cor.  xi.  24.  '  Of  the  Jews 
five  times  received  I  forty  ftripcs,  fuve  one.* 

Jof.  Ant.  iv.  c.  8.  kc.  21.  '  He  that  afts  con- 
trary hereto,  let  him  receive  forty  flripcs,  ivantin'- 
one.,  from  the  public  officer. 

The  coincidence  here  is  fmgular,  becaufe  the  la 
alloic'cd  \c)T\y  (\.r\pzs: — '  Forty  ftripes  he  may  gi\ 
him  and  not  exceed.'  Dent.  xxv.  3.  It  proves  thi 
the  author  of  the  epillle  to  the  Corinthians  w. 
guided  not   by  books,  but   by   fafts;    becaufe   hi 

X         '  ftatcment 


30^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

flatement  agrees  with  the  aftual  ciidom,  even  whe'a 
that  cnftom  deviated  from  the  written  law,  and  from 
what  he  muil  have  learned  by  confulting  the  Jewifli 
code,  as  fet  forth  in  the  Old  Teftament. 

XXXII.  (p.  490.)  Luke  iii.  12.  '  Then  came 
alfo  publicans  to  be  baptifed.'  From  this  quotation, 
as  well  as  from  the  hiftory  of  Levi  or  Matthew 
(Luke  V.  29.)  and  of  Zaccheus  (Luke  xix.  2.)  ic 
appears,  that  the  publicans  or  tax-gatherers  were, 
frequently  at  lead,  if  not  always,  Jews:  which,  as 
the  country  was  then  under  a  Roman  government, 
and  the  taxes  were  paid  to  the  Romans,  was  a  cir- 
cumftance  not  to  be  expected.  That  it  was  the 
truth  however  of  the  cafe,  appears  from  a  fhort  paf- 
fage  of  Jofephus, 

De  Bell.  lib.  ii.  c.  xiv.  fee.  45,  '  But  Florus  not 
retraining  thefe  pra£lices  by  his  authority,  the  chief 
men  of  the  Jews,  among  whom  was  John  the  publican^ 
not  knowing  well  what  courfe  to  take,  wait  upon 
Florus,  and  give  him  eight  talents  of  filver  to  Hop 
the  building.' 

XXXIII.  (p.  496.)  Aas  xxii.  25.  '  And,  as 
they  bound  him  with  thongs,  Paul  faid  unto  the 
centurion   that  flood  by,   is    it    lawful    for  you    to 

fcGurge  a  man  that  is  a  Roman^  and  uncondemnned?* 
'  Facinus  eft  vinciri  civem  Romanum  :  fcelus  ver- 
berari,  Cic.  in  Ver.' 

'  C^edebatur  virgis,  in  medio  foro  MefTan^,  civis 
Romanus,  Judices,  cum  interen,  nullus  gemitus, 
nulla  vox  alia,  iitius  miferi,  inter  dolorem  crepi- 
tumque  plagarum,  audiebatur,  nifi  Iijec,  civis  Ro- 
fjianu's  /um.' 

XXXIV.  (p.  513.)  Aftsxxii.  27.  'Then  the 
chief  captain  came  and  faid  unto  him  (Paul,)  tell  me, 
art  thou  a  Roman?  He  faid,  yea.'  The  circuraftance 
here  to  be  noticed,  is  that  a  Jew  was  a  Roman 
citizen. 

Jof. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  307 

Jof.  Ant.  lib.  14.  c.  id.  fee.  13.  'I  ucius  Lcn- 
tuliib,  the  conful,  declared,  1  have  difinilT  d  Irorn  the 
fervice,  tbc  ye^uijlj  Roman  citizens,  who  obfcrve  the 
rites  of  the  Jewilh  reli  >ion  at  Epliefus.* 

lb.  V.  27.  '  And  the  chief  captain  anfwercd, 
with  a  great  fum  obtained  I  this  freedom.^ 

Dio.  Calfiu^,  1.  6c.  '  This  privilege,  whicli  had 
been  bought  formerly  at  a  great  price.,  btcame  fo 
cheap,  tliat  it  was  commonly  f^iid,  a  mm  miirht  be 
made  a  Roman  ciiiy.en  for  a  few  pieces  of  broken 
glafs.' 

XXXV.  (p.  521.)  Afts  xxviii.  16.  '  And  when 
we  came  to  Rome,  ilie  centurion  delivered  the  pri. 
foncrs  to  the  captain  of  the  guard,  but  Paul  w^as 
fu^Tered  to  dwell  by  himfclf,  with  a  foldier  that  kept 
him.' 

With  which  join  v.  2c.  '  For  the  hope  of  Ifrael 
I  am  bound  with  this  chain.* 

'  Ouemadmodum  eadcm  catena,  et  cudodiim  et 
fni/item  copulat,  fie  ilia  quce  tarn  difTuTiilia  funt,  pariter 
incedunt.*    Seneca,  Ep.  6. 

'  Proconful  rcllimare  folet,  utrum  in  carrercm  reci- 
pienda  fitperfma,  an  7ni/ifi  fradenda.'  Uipian,  1.  i. 
fee.  de  cullod.  et  exhib.  reor. 

In  the  confinement  of  Agrippa  by  the  order  of 
Tibrrius,  Antonia  managed,  that  the  centurion  who 
prefided  over  the  guards,  and  the  foldier  to  luhojn 
Agrippa  ivas  to  be  bound.,  might  be  men  of  mild  cha- 
chara^er.  Jof.  Ant.  lib.  18.  c.  7.  fee.  5.  After 
the  acceffion  of  Cali;jula,  Agrippa  alfo,  like  Paul, 
was  fuffereJ  to  dwell,  yet  as  a  j^rifoner,  in  his  own 
honfe. 

XXXVI.  (p.  531.)  Acls  xxvii.  i.  '  And  when 
It  was  determined  ti.at  we  (hould  lail  into  Italy,  they 
delivered  Paul,  and  certain  other  prifoners,  unto  one 
named  Julius.'  Since  not  only  Paul,  but  certain 
oiIkt  prifcners,  were  fent  by  the  fame  fliip  intoTtaly, 

X   2  the 


3o8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

rhe  text  mufl:  be  confidered,  as  can-ying  with  it  an 
intimation,  that  the  fending  of  perfjns  from  Judea  to 
be  tried  at  Rome,  was  an  orjinary  praftice.  That 
in  truth  it  was  fo,  is  made  out  by  a  variety  of 
examples  which  the  writings  of  Jofephus  furnifti; 
and  amongft  others  by  the  following,  which  comes 
near  both  to  the  time  and  the  fubje£l  of  the  inftance  in 
the  AQis.  '  Felix,  for  fome  flight  oitence,  bound  and 
fent  io  Rome  feveral  prieds  of  his  acquamtance,  and 
very  good  and  honefl:  men,  to  anfvver  for  themfelves 
to  Casfar.'     Jof.  Invit.  fee.  3. 

XXXVII.  (p.  539.)  Afts^xi.  27.  '  And,  in  thefe 
days,  came  prophets  from  Jerufalem  unto  Antioch; 
and  there  fl:ood  up  one  of  them,  named  Agabus,  and 
fignified  by  the  fpirit  that  there  fhould  be  a  great 
dearth  throughout  all  the  world  (or  all  the  country), 
"johich  came  to  pafs  in  the  days  of  Claudius  Ccefar.* 

Jof.  Ant.  1.  20.  c.  4.  fee.  2.  '  In  their  time  (i.  e. 
about  the  fifth  or  fixth  year  of  Claudius)  a  great 
dearth  happened  in  judea.' 

XXXVIII.  (p.  555.)  Aas  xviii.  i,  2.  *  Becaufe 
that  Claudius  had  commanded  all  Jews  to  depart 
from  Rome.' 

Suet.  Claud,  c.  25.  *  Judceos,  impulfore  Chreflo 
aflidue  tumultuantes,  Roma  expulit.' 

XXXIX.  (p.  664.)  Ads  V.  37.  '  After  this 
man  rofe  up  Judas  of  Galilee,  in  the  days  of  the 
taxing,  and  drew  away  much  people  after  him.' 

Jof.  de  Bell.  1.  vii.  '  He  viz.  (the  pcrfon,  who  in 
another  place,  is  called  by  Jofrphus,  Judas  the  Gali- 
lean or  Judas  of  Galilee)  perfuaded  not  a  few  not  to 
enrol  themfelves,  when  Cyrenius  the  cenfor  v/as  fent 
into  Judea.' 

XL.  (p.  952.)  A^ts  xxi.  38.  *  Art  thou  not 
that  Egyptian,  which,  before  thefe  days,  madel'l  an 
uproar,  and  leddeft  out  into  the  Vvilderncfs  four 
thoufand  men,  that  were  murderers?' 

Jof. 


EVIDENCES  OF  C^RISriANirY.  309 

Jof.  de  Bell.  I.  2.  c.  13.  fee.  5.  '  But  the  Egyp- 
tian falfe  prophet,  brought  ii  yet  lieavier  dilalter 
upon  the  Jews  ;  for  this  impoilor,  coming  into  the 
country,  and  gaining  the  reputation  of  a  prophet, 
gathered  togetlier  tliirty  thoufand  men,  who  v/ere 
deceived  by  him.  Having  brought  them  round  out 
of  the  wildernefs,  up  to  the  mount  of  Olives,  he  in- 
tended from  thence  to  make  his  attack  upon  Jcrufii- 
lein  ;  but  Felix  coming  fuddenly  upon  bin  with  the 
Roman  foldiers,  prevented  the  iittack. — A  great 
ntimber,  or  (as  it  fhould  rather  be  rendered)  the 
greatell:  part  of  tbofe  that  were  with  him,  were  either 
llain,  or  taken  prifoners.* 

In  thefe  two  pafTages,  the  defignation  of  the  im- 
poftor,  an  '  Egyptian,'  without  liis  proper  name; 
'  the  wildernefs ;'  his  efcapc,  though  his  followers 
were  delfroyed  ;  the  time  of  the  traHfaftion,  in  the 
prefidcntfhip  of  Felix,  which  could  not  be  any  long 
time  before  the  words  in  Luke  are  fuppofed  to  have 
been  fpokcn ;  are  circumflances  of  clofe  correfpon- 
dency.  There  is  one,  and  only  one,  point  of  dif- 
agreement,  and  that  is,  in  the  number  of  his  fol- 
lowers, which  in  the  A6ts  are  called  four  thoufand, 
and  by  Jofephus  thirty  thoufand  ;  but,  befide  that 
the  names  of  numbers,  more  than  any  other  words, 
are  liable  to  the  errors  of  tranfcribtrs,  we  are,  in 
the  prefent  inihmcc,  under  the  lefs  concern  to  recon- 
cile the  cvangelill  witli  Jofephus,  as  Jofephus  is  not, 
in  this  point,  conliltent  with  himfelf.  For  whereas, 
in  the  pafTage  here  quoted,  he  calls  the  number 
thirty  thoufand,  ar.d  tells  us  that  tlie  greateft  part, 
or  a  great  number  (according  as  his  words  are  ren- 
dered) of  thofe  that  were  with  him,  were  deilroyed  ; 
in  hU  Antiquities,  he  reprefents  four  hundred  to 
hare  been  killed  upon  this  occafion,  and  two  hun- 
dred taken  prifoncrs*  ;  which  certainly  was  not  the 

*  Lib.  20.  c.  7.  fee.  6. 

X  3  '  greatcfl 


3is>  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  greatefl:  part/  nor  '  a  great  parr,'  nor  ^  a  great 
nuir^ber,'  out  of  thirty  thoufdnd.  It  is  probable  ;ilfo, 
that  Lyfras  and  Jofephns  fpoke  of  the  expedition  in 
its  different  (tages  :  Lvfi.is  of  thofe  v/ho  followed  the 
Egyptian  cur  of  Jernf  ilrm  ;  Jofephus  of  all  who 
were  collected  about  hirn  afterwards,  from  different 
quarters. 

XLI.  (Lardner's  jrwifli  and  Heathen  Teftim  nies. 
Vol.  III.  p.  2  1.)  A£ls  xvii.  22.  '  'Jlien  Pau;  flood 
in  the  midft  of  Mars  bill,  and  faid,  Ye  jpen  of 
^\thens,  I  perceive  that  in  aU  things  ye  are  too  fu- 
perfl:itious,  for,  as  I  paffed  by  and  beheld  your  de- 
votions, I  found  an  altar  with  this  infer iption,  TO 
THE  UNKNOWN  GOD.  Whom  therefore  ye 
ignorantly  worfhip,  him  declare  I  unto  you.' 

Diogenes  Laertius,  who  wrote  about  the  year  210, 
in  his  hilfory  of  Epirrenides,  who  is  fuppofed  to 
have  flourifhed  nearly  fix  hundred  years  before  Chrift, 
relates  of  him  the  following  ftory  :  that,  being  in- 
vited to  Athens  for  the  purpofe,  he  delivered  the 
city  from  a  pedilence  in  this  manner — '  Taking 
feveral  fheep,  fome  black,  others  white,  he  had 
thrm  up  to  the  Areopagus,  and  then  let  them  go 
where  they  would,  and  gave  orders  to  thofe  who 
followed  them,  wherever  any  of  them  fhould  lie 
down,  to  facrifice  it  to  the  god  to  whom  it  belonged  ; 
and  fo  the  plague  ceafed.  Hence,'  fays  the  hifto- 
rian,  '  it  has  come  to  pafs,  that,  to  this  prefent  iime^ 
may  be  found  in  the  boroughs  of  the  Athenians  ano- 
nymous ahars  ;  a  memorial  of  the  expiation  then 
made*.'  Thefe  altars,  it  may  be  prefumed,  were 
called  anonymous,  becaufe  there  was  not  the  name 
of  any  particular  deity  infcribed  upon  them. 

Faufanias,  who  wrote  before  the  end  of  the  fe- 
eond  century,  in  his  defcription  of  Athens,  having 

*  In  Epimenide.  1   i.  fegm.  110. 

mentioned 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  311 

mentioned  an  akar  of  Jupircr  Olympius,  adds,  *  and 
ni^h  unto  it  is  an  altar  of  unknown  gods*.'  And, 
in  another  place,  fpeaks  '  of  altars  of  gods  called 
unknown-^.' 

Pbilojiratus,  who  wrote  in  the  beginning  of  the 
third  century,  records  it  as  an  obftrvation  of  Apol- 
lonius  Tyanasiis,  •  that  it  was  wife  to  fpeak  well  of 
all  the  gods,  efpccially  at  Athens ,  where  altars  of 
zinknown  da?nons  were  creded\.* 

The  author  of  the  dialogue  Philopairis^  by  many 
fappofed  to  have  been  Lucian,  who  wrorc  about 
the  year  170,  by  others  fonie  anonymous  heathen 
writer  of  the  fourth  century,  makes  Critias  fwear 
by  the  unknown  god  of  Athens  ;  and,  near  the  end  of 
the  dialogue,  has  thefe  words,  '  but  let  us  fmd  out 
the  unknown  god  at  Athens,  and,  flretching  our 
hands  to  heaven,  oiTer  to  him  our  praifcs  and 
ihankfgivings§.' 

This  is  a  very  curious,  and  a  very  important  coin- 
cidence. It  appears  beyond  controverfy,  that  altars 
with  this  infcription  were  exifliug  at  Athens,  at  the 
time  when  St.  Paul  is  alleged  to  have  been  there. 
It  feems  alfo,  which  is  very  worthy  of  obfervation, 
that  this  infcription  was  peculiar  to  the  Athenians. 
There  is  no  evidence  that  there  were  altars  infcribed 
'  to  the  unknown  God'  in  any  other  country.-— 
Suppofmg  the  hiftory  of  St.  Paul  to  have  been  a 
fable,  how  is  it  polTible,  that  fuch  a  writer  as  the 
author  of  the  Aifts  of  the  Apoflles  was,  ihould  hit 
upon  a  circumftance  fo  extraordinary,  and  introduce 
it  by  an  alkifion  fo  fuitable  to  St.  Paul's  office  and 
charafter ! 

*  Pauf.  1.  5.  p.  412.  t  lb.  1.  I.  p.  4. 

X  Phllof.  Apoll.  Tyan.  1.  6.  c.  3. 

§  Lucian  in  Phiiop.  torn.  2.  Grav.  p,  767.  780. 

X  4  The 


312  A  VIEW  OV  THE 


THE  examples  here  colle^led,  will  be  fufficienr,  I 
hope,  to  fiitisfy  us,  that  the  writers  of  the  Chriflian 
hiftory  knew  fomething  of  what  they  were  writing 
about.  The  argument  is  alfo  ftrengthened  by  the 
following  confiderations : 

I.  That  thefe  agreements  appear,  not  only  in  ar- 
ticles of  public  hiftory,  but,  fometiraes,  in  minute, 
recondite,  and  very  peculiar  circumftances,  in  which, 
of  all  others,  a  forger  is  moft  likely  to  have  been 
found  tripping. 

II.  That  the  deftruftion  of  Jerufalem,  which  took 
place  forty  years  after  the  commencement  of  the 
Chriltian  inftitution,  produced  fuch  a  change  in  the 
ftate  of  the  country,  and  the  condition  of  the  Jf  ws, 
that  a  writer  who  was  unacquainted  with  the  circum- 
ftances of  the  nation  before  tha.t  event,  would  find  it 
difficult  to  avoid  miftakes,  in  endeavouring  to  give 
derailed  accounts  of  tranfa<flions  connected  with  thofe 
circumftances,  forafmuch  as  he  could  no  longer  have 
a  living  exemplar  to  copy  from. 

.  III.  That  there  appears,  in  the  writers  of  the 
New  Teftamcnt,  a  knowledge  of  the  affairs  of  thofe 
times,  v;hich  we  do  not  find  in  authors  of  later  ages. 
In  particular,  many  of  the  Chriftian  writers  of  the 
fecond  and  third  centuries,  and  of  the  following 
ages,  had  falfe  no'^ions  concerning  the  ftate  of  Judsea, 
between  the  nativity  of  Jcfus  and  the  dtftruftion  of 
Jerufalem*.  Therefore  tbey  could  not  have  com- 
pofed  our  hiftories. 

*  Lard.  Part  I.  Vol.  II.  p.  960. 

Amidft 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  313 

Amivlil  fo  many  conformitie<;,  we  are  not  to  won- 
Jer  that  wc  meet  with  fome  difficulties.  The  prin- 
cipal oF  thefe  I  will  put  down,  together  with  the 
folutions  which  they  have  received.  But  in  doing 
this  I  mud  be  contented  with  a  brevity,  better  fuited 
to  the  li  nirs  of  my  volume,  th.m  to  the  nature  of  a 
conrroverfial  argument.  For  the  hiftorical  proofs  ot 
my  alTertions,  and  for  the  Greek  criticifms  upon 
which  fome  of  them  are  founded,  I  refer  the  reader 
to  the  fecond  volume  of  the  firft  part  of  Dr.  Lard- 
lier*s  large  work. 

I.  The  taxing,  during  which  Jefus  was  born,  was 
'  firfl:  made,*  as  we  read,  according  to  our  tranfla- 
tion,  in  St.  Luke,  '  whilft  Cyrenius  was  governor 
'  of  Syria*.'  Now  it  turns  out,  that  Cyrenius  was 
not  governor  of  Syria  until  twelve,  or,  at  the  foon- 
eft,  ten  years,  after  the  birth  of  ChriR  ;  an  1  that  a 
taxing,  ccnfus,  or  affelTment  was  made  in  Judasa  in 
the  beginning  of  his  government.  Tiie  charge, 
theref«re,  brought  a^ainft  the  evangelift  is,  that, 
intending  to  refer  to  this  taxing,  he  has  mifplaced 
the  d:ite  of  it,  by  an  error  of  ten  or  twelve  years. 

The  anfwer  to  the  accufation  is  found  in  his  ufmg 
the  word  '  firft' — '  And  this  taxing  was  yf/y?  nuide;* 
for,  according  to  the  raiftake  i.nputed  to  the  evan- 
gehft,  this  word  could  have  no  fr^nification  whatever. 
It  could  have  had  no  place  in  hi^  narrative,  becaufe, 
let  it  relate  to  what  it  will,  taxing,  cenfus,  enroll- 
ment or  alTelTment,  it  imports  that  the  writer  had 
more  than  one  of  thefe  in  contemplation.  It  acquits 
him  therefore  of  the  charge,  it  is  inconfiflcnt  with 
the  fuppofition,  of  his  knowing  only  of  the  taxing 
in  the  beginning  of  Cyrcnius's  government.  And 
if  the  evangclifl  knew,  which  this  word  proves  that 

*   C.  ii.  V.   2 

he 


314  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

he  did,  of  fome  other  taxing  befide  that,  it  is  too 
much  for  the  fake  of  convicting  him  of  a  miftake, 
to  lay  it  down  as  certain,  thai  he  intended  to  refer 
to  that. 

The  fentence  in  St.  Luke  may  be  conftrued  thus  : 
'  this  was  the  firfl  aifelTment  (or  enrollment)  of 
*  Cyrenius,  governor  of  Syria*  ;'  the  words  *  go- 
'  vernor  of  Syria'  being  ufed  after  the  name  of  Cy- 
renius as  his  addition  or  title.  And  this  title,  be- 
longing to  him  at  the  time  of  Vv^riting  the  account, 
was  naturally  enough  fubjoined  to  his  name,  though 
acquired  after  the  tranfaftion,  Vv^hich  the  account 
defcribes.  A  modern  writer,  who  was  not  very 
exaft  in  the  choice:  of  his  exprefTions,  in  relating  the 
affairs  of  the  Eall  Indies,  might  eafily  fay,  that  fuch 
a  thing  was  done  by  Govenwr  Haftings,  though,  in 
n-uth,  the  thing  had  been  done  by  him  before  his 
advancement  to  the  ftation  from  v;hich  he  received 
the  name  of  governor.  And  this,  as  we  contend, 
is  precifely  the  inaccuracy  which  has  produced  the 
difliculty  in  St.  Luke. 

At  any  rate,  it  appears  from  the  form  of  the  ex- 
preffioii,  that  he  had  two  taxings  or  enrollments  in 
contemplation.  And  if  Cyrenius  had  been  fent 
upon  this  bufmefs  into  Jud^a,  before  he  became 
governor  of  Syria,  (againfl  which  fuppofition  there 
is  no  proof,-  but  rather  external  evidence  of  an  en- 
rollment going  on  about  this  time  under  fome  per- 


*  If  the  word  which  we  render  *  firfl'  be  rendered  '  before,' 
■^hich  it  has  been  ftrongly  contended  that  the  Greek  idiom 
allows  of,  the  whole  difficulty  vaniflies,  for  then  the  pailiige 
would  be — *  now  this  taxing  was  made  before  Cyrenius  was 
'  governor  of  Syria ,'  which  correfponds  with  the  chronology. 
But  I  rather  choofe  to  argue,  that,  however  the  word  '  firft' 
be  rendered,  to  give  it  a  n^.eaning  at  all,  it  militates  viith  the 
objection.     In  this  I  thi::k  thcrs  can  be  no  miftake. 

fon 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  315 

fon  or  other  *)  then  the  cenfns  on  all  hands  acknow- 
ledged to  have  been  made  by  him  in  the  bef^inning 
of  his  government,  would  form  a  fecond,  fo  as  to 
occafion  ihe  other  to  be  called  \\\q  Jit'/i. 

li.  Ancther  chronological  objcftion  arifrs  upon 
a  d  ite  afli'jjned  in  the  bf  {^inning  of  rhe  third  chapter 
of  Si.  Luke  f.  *  Now  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  the 
reign  of  Tiberius  CcElar--Jefus  began  to  be  about 
thirty  years  of  age  ;'  for  fuppofing  Jcfus  to  have 
bc'.n  horn,  as  St.  Mattliew,  and  St.  Luke  alfo  him- 
felf  relates,  in  the  rime  c'f  Herod,  he  mud,  accord- 
ing to  the  dates  given  in  Jofephus,  and  by  the  Ro- 
man hiflorians,  have  been  at  le:ifl:  thirty-one  years 
of  aje  in  the  fifteenth  yi-ar  of  Tiberius.  If  he  was 
born,  as  St.  Matthew's  narrative  intimates,  one  or 
two  years  before  Herod's  death,  he  would  have  been 
th'rry-two,  or  thirty-three  years  old,  at  that  rime. 

1  his  s  the  difficulty  :  the  ft)lution  turns  upon  an 
alteration  in  the  conltru^tion  of  the  Greek.  St. 
Luke's  words  in  the  original  are  allowed,  by  the 
general  opinion  of  learned  men,  to  fignify,  not  *  that 
Jefus  began  to  be  about  thirty  years  of  age,'  but 
'  that  he  was  about  thirty  years  of  age  when  he 
be  an  his  ininiftry.'  This  conftru^iion  being  ad- 
mitted, the  adverb  '  about'  gives  us  all  the  latitude 
we  want,  and  more ;  efpecially  v/hen  applied,  as  it 
is  in  the  prefcnt  iniiance,  to  a  decimal  number,  for 
fuch  numbers,  even  without  this  qualifying  addition, 

*  Jnfephus  (Ant.  17.  c.  2.  fee.  6.)  has  this  remarkable  paf- 
fat'.e — '  when  therefore  the  wliolc  Jewilh  nation  took  an  oath 
*  to  be  faithful  to  Caefar,  and  the  interefts  of  the  king.'  This 
tranfadio"  corrcfponds  in  the  courfc  of  the  hi  (lory  with  the 
time  <  f  Chrill's  bii  th.  What  is  called  a  cenfus,  and  which 
we  'cnder  taxing,  was  delivering  upon  oath  an  account  of 
their  pr'  pcrty.  This  might  be  accompanied  with  an  oatli  of 
fidelity,  or  might  be  miftakcn  by  Jufepluis  for  it. 

I  Lard.  Part  I.  Vol.  II.  p. '768. 

are 


3i6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

are  often  ufed  in  a  laxer  fenfe  than  is  here  contended 
for*. 

III.  A£t$  V.  36.  '  For  before  thefe  days  rofe  up 
Theudas,  boading  himfelf  to  be  fomcbody  ;  to  whom 
a  number  of  men,  about  four  hundred,  joined  them- 
felves  :  who  was  (lain  ;  and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed 
him,  were  fcaitered  and  brought  to  nought.* 

Jofephus  has  preferved  the  account  of  an  impoflor 
of  the  name  of  Theudas,  who  created  fome  diftur- 
bances,  an.^  was  flain  ;  bur,  according  tc  the  date 
affigned  to  this  n^an's  appearance  (in  which,  how- 
ever, it  is  very  polTible  that  Jofephus  may  have  been 
Toiftaken -j- j  it  mud  have  been,  at  the  leail,  (cwcn 
years,  after  GaraaHel's  fpeech,  of  which  this  text 
is  a  part,  was  delivered.  It  has  been  replied  to  the 
objeOion  J,  that  there  might  be  two  impoflors  of 
this  name  :  and  it  has  been  obferved,  in  order  to 
give  a  general  probability  to  the  folurion,  that  the 
fame  thing  appears  to  have  happened  in  other  in- 
ftiinces  of  the  fame  kind.  It  is  proved  from  Jofe- 
phus, that  there  were  not  fewer  than  four  perfons, 
of  the  name  of  Simon,  within  forty  years,  and  not 
fewer  tlian  three,  of  the  name  of  Judas,  within  ten 
years,  who  were  all  leaders  of  infurre^lions :  and  it 
is  likevvife  recorded  by  the  hiftorian,  that,  upon  the 
death  of  Herod  the  Great  (which  agrees  very  well 

*  Livy,  fpeaking  of  the  peace,  which  the  conduit  of  Ro- 
mulus had  procured  to  the  ftate,  during  the  ivhc/e  reign  of  his 
fucceffor^  (Numa),  has  thefe  words — 'Ab  illo  enim  profedis 

*  viribus  datis  tantum  valuit,  ut,  in  qiiadrag'mta  deinde  annos, 

*  tutam  pacem  haberet :'  yet,  afterwards,  in  the  fame  chapter, 

*  Romulus  (he  fays)  feptem  et  triginta  regnavit  annos,  Numa 

*  treset  quadraginta." 

t  Michaelib's  Introduflion  to  the  New  Teft.  (Marfii's 
Tranflation)  Vol.  I.  p.  61. 

X  Lardner,  Part  I.  Vol.  II.  p.  922. 

§  Liv.  Hift.  C.8.  fee.  16. 

with 


EVIDEtCCES  OF  CHRISlfANITY.  317 

with  the  time  of  ihc  commotion  referred  10  by  Ga- 
maliel, and  with  his  manner  of  ftatin^  thai  time 
*  before  thefe  d.ivs')  there  were  innumerable  diftur- 
bances  in  judcea  *.  Archbiflicp  UUier  was  of 
opinion,  that  one  of  the  three  Judas's  abovf men- 
tioned was  XIramaliel's  Theudas-j- ;  and  that,  with  a 
Icfs  variation  of  the  name  than  we  aftiialiy  find  in 
the  orofpels,  where  one  of  the  twelve  apoilles  is 
called  by  Luke,  judas,  and  by  Mark,  Thaddeus  \. 
Oriren,  however  he  came  at  his  information,  ap- 
pears to  have  believed,  that  there  was  an  impoflor 
of  the  name  of  Theudas  before  the  nativity  of 
Chrift  §. 

IV.  Mat.  xxiii.  34.  '  V/hercfore,  behold,  I  fend 
unto  you  prophets,  and  wife  men,  and  fcribes  ;  and 
fome  of  them  ye  (liail  kill  and  crucify  ;  and  fome  of 
them  fliall  ye  fcourge  in  your  fynagogues,  and  per- 
fecute  them  from  city  to  city  ;  that  upon  you  may 
come  all  the  righteous  blood  flied  upon  the  earth, 
from  the  blood  of  righteous  Abel  unto  the  blood 
of  Zdc/ji!rins,Jo?i  of  Bardcbias,  "ajhom  ye  Jlcw  between 
the  temple  and  the  altar. ' 

There  is  a  Zacharias,  wliofe  death  is  related  in 
the  fecond  book  of  Chronicles,  in  a  manner  which 
perfeftly  fupports  our  Saviour's  allafion  ||.  But  ihis 
Zacharias  was  the  fon  of  yeboida. 

Ther:?  is  alfo  Zicharias  the  prophet;  who  was 
the  fon  of  Barachiah,  and  is  io  defcribed  in  the  fu- 


*   Ant.  1.  17.  c.  12.  fee.  4.  f  Annals,  p.  797. 

X   Lukevi.i6.     M.irkiii.  18.  §   Or.  Cpn.  Cell"   p. 44., 

II  •  And  the  fpirit  of  God  came  upon  Zacl.ariah,  the  ion  ol' Jc- 
'  ho.da  the  priel>,  which  ftooJ  above  the  pe  'plc,  and  lie  faid  un:o 

*  thcni,  Thus  faith  God,  why  tianfgrcG  ye  the  command  me;  its 

*  of  the  Lord,  that  ye  cannot  profpcr  ?  bccaufe  yc  have  forfalcen 
'  the  Lord,  he  hutli  alio  iorfaken  you.     And  tiicy  ronfpired 

*  aganill  him,  a7hi  Jluv.cd  him  <iL'UhJhn:-s,  at  th:  comn  a-uhncnt  of  the 

*  linj,  in  the  court  rf  >h:  hoiife  cj't'.:  lord.'      2.  Chion.  xxlv.  20. 


peifcrip:' 


3i8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

perfcription  of  his  prophecy,  but  of  whofe  death  we 
have  no  account. 

I  have  little  doubt,  but  that  the  firft  Zacharias 
was  the  perfon  fpoken  of  by  our  Saviour;  and  that 
the  name  ot  the  father  has  been  fince  added,  or 
changed,  by  fome  one,  who  lov.k  it  from  the  title 
of  the  prophecy,  which  happened  to  !>e  better 
known  to  him  than  the  hiftory  in  tiie  Chronicles. 

There  is  likcwife  a  Zicharias,  the  fon  of  Baruch, 
related  by  Jofephus  to  have  been  fl.^in  in  the  tem- 
ple, a  fevv^  days  before  the  delTruftion  of  Jcrufa'tm. 
it  has  been  infmuati.d,  that  the  words  pur  into  our 
Saviour's  mouth,  contain  a  reference  to  this  tranf- 
a(5lion,  and  were  corapofed  by  fome  wnter,  who 
either  confounded  the  time  of  the  tranfiction  with 
our  Saviour's  age,  or  inadvertently  overlooked  the 
anachronifm. 

Now  fuppoic  it  to  have  been  fo  ;  fuppofe  thefe 
words  to  have  been  fuggefted  by  the  tr.'nfaftion  ^-e- 
lated  in  Jofephus,  and  to  have  been  fa!fely  afcri'  ed 
to  Chrift  ;  and  obferve  what  extraordin.^ry  roinci- 
dences  faccidentally,  as  it  muft  in  chat  cafe  have 
been)  attend  the  forger's  miftake. 

Firll,  That  we  have  a  Zacharias  in  the  book  of 
Chronicles,  whofe  death,  and  the  manner  of  it,  cor- 
refponds  with  the  allufion. 

Secondly,  That  although  the  name  of  this  per- 
fon's  father  be  erroneoufly  put  down  in  the  gofpel, 
yet  we  have  a  way  of  accounting  for  the  error,  by 
iliowing  another  Zacharias  in  the  Jewifli  fcriptures, 
much  better  known  than  the  former,  whofe  patro- 
nyiTiic  was  adually  that  which  appears  in  the  text. 

Every  one,  who  thinks  upon  the  fu bje6l,  will  find 
thefe  to  be  circumftances,  which  could  not  have 
rnet  together  in  a  miftake,  which  did  not  proceed 
from  the  circumftanccs  themfelves. 

I  HAVE. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  3iy 


I  HAVE  noticed,  I  think,  all  the  difficulties  of 
this  kind.  They  arc  few  ;  fo-ne  of  rhem  admit  of  a 
clear,  others  of  a  probable  folurion.  The  reader 
will  compare  them  with  the  number,  the  variety, 
the  clofenefs,  and  "-he  fatisfaiStorinefs,  of  tlic  inlfances 
which  are  to  Lc  iet  againft  them  ;  and  lie  will  re- 
member the  fcantinrfs,  in  many  cafes,  of  our  intel- 
ligence, and  that  difTiculties  always  attend  im|:erfc(fl 
information. 


CHAP.     VII. 

Vndefigncd  Coincidences, 

JjET  WEEN  the  letters  which  bear  the 
name  of  St.  Paul  in  our  collection,  and  his  hilfcry 
in  the  A(rts  of  the  Apoflles,  there  exid  many  notes 
of  correfpondency.  The  fimple  perufal  of  the  wri- 
tings is  fufficient  to  prove,  that  neither  the  hiftory 
was  taken  from  the  letters,  nor  the  letters  from  the 
hiftory.  And  the  iindefignedncfs  of  the  agreements, 
which  undefignednefs  is  gathered  from  their  latency, 
their  minutenefs,  their  obliquity,  the  fuitablenefs  of 
the  circumdances,  in  which  they  confill,  to  t'.ie 
places  in  which  thofe  circumftances  occur,  and  the 
circuitous  references  by  which  they  arc  ivared  out, 
demonftrates  that  they  have  not  been  produced  by 
meditation,  or  by  any  fraudulent  contrivance.     But 

coincidences. 


320  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

coincidences,  from  which  thrfe  caufcs  are  excluded, 
and  which  are  to  ■  clofe  and  numerous  to  be  ac- 
counted for  by  accidental  concurrences  ol  fiction,  mud 
neceiTarily  have  truth  for  their  roundation. 

This  argument  appeared  to  my  mind  of  fo  much 
vahie  (efpecially  for  its  affbming  nothing  beficic  the 
exiitence  of  the  books),  that  I  have  purfued  it 
through  St.  Paul's  thirteen  epiftles,  in  a  work  puh- 
liihed  by  me  four  years  ago,  under  the  title  of  Horse 
Paulinas.  I  am  fenfible  how  feebly  any  argum  nt, 
which  depends  upon  an  induction  of  particulars,  is 
reprefented  without  examples.  On  which  account, 
1  wiflied  to  have  abridged  my  own  volume,  in  the 
manner  in  which  1  have  treated  Dr.  LardufT^s  in 
the  preceding  chapter.  But,  upon  making  the  .=  t- 
lempt,  I  did  not  find  it  in  my  power  to  render  the 
articles  intelligible  by  fewer  words  than  I  have  there 
ufed.  I  mud  be  content,  therefore,  to  refer  the 
reader  to  the  work  itfelf.  And  I  would  particiihirly 
invite  his  attention  to  the  obfervations  v/hich  are 
made' in  it  upon  the  three  firft  epiftles.  1  perfuade 
myfelf  that  he  will  find  the  proofs,  both  of  agree- 
ment and  undefignednefs,  fupplied  by  thefe  epiftles, 
fufficient  to  fupport  the  conclufion  which  is  there 
maintained,  in  favour  both  of  the  genuinenefs  of  the 
writings,  and  the  truth  of  the  narrative. 

It  remains  only,  in  this  place,  to  point  out  how 
the  argument  bears  upon  the  general  qucftion  of  the 
Chriflian  hiftory. 

Firft,  St.  Paul  in  thefe  letters  afiirms,  in  unequi- 
vocal terms,  his  own  performance  of  miracles,  and, 
what  ought  particularly  to  be  remembered,  '  that 
'■  miracles  ivcre  the  fgns  of  an  apcftle  *.'  If  this 
teftimony  come  from  St.  Paul's  own  hand,  it  is  mva- 

*   Rom.  XV.  i8,  19.     2  Cor.  xii.  12. 

A  luable. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  321 

Itiable.  And  that  it  docs  fo,  the  argument  ucfurc 
us  ilxcs  in  my  mind  a  firTi  all'iimncc. 

Secondly,  it  fliows  tliat  the  feries  of  allien,  rcpre- 
fentcd  in  the  epillles  of  St.  Paul,  was  real ;  wiiich 
alone  lays  a  foundation  for  the  propofiiion,  whicli 
forms  the  fubjeft  of  the  firil  part  of  our  prefent 
work,  viz.  that  the  origin  d  witntflcs  of  the  Chiii- 
lian  hiftory  devoted  thcmfelve?  to  lives  of  toil,  fuf- 
fering,  and  danger,  in  confcquence  of  ihcir  belief  ot 
the  truth  of  that  hiftory,  and  for  the  fake  of  com- 
municating the  knowledi^e  of  it  to  others. 

Thirdly,  it  proves  that  Luke,  or  whoever  was  ths 
author  of  the  Acfls  of  the  ApoRles  (for  th^  argu- 
ment does  not  depend  upon  the  name  of  die  aut'nor, 
though  I  know  no  reafon  for  queftioning  it)  was 
well  acquaincd  with  St.  Paul's  hiitory  ;  and  that  he 
proba'ly  was,  what  he  profcfTes  himfelf  to  be,  a 
companion  of  St.  Paul's  travels :  which,  if  tru/, 
cdabliflies,  in  a  confiderable  degree,  the  credit  even 
of  his  gofpel,  becaufe  it  fliows,  that  the  writer,  from 
his  time,  firuation,  and  connexions,  pofiefled  oppor- 
tunities of  informing  himfelf  truly  concerning  tlic 
iranfaftions  which  he  relates.  I  have  little  diiHculrv 
in  applying  to  the  gofpel  of  St.  Luke  what  is  proved 
concerning  the  Afls  of  tlie  Apofllcs,  confilering 
them  as  two  parts  of  the  fiirae  hiitory  ;  for,  thou  ;li 
there  are  inftanccs  q>^  fecond  parts  being  forgeries,  I 
know  none  where  the  fecond  part  is  genuine,  and 
the  firil  not  fo. 

I  will  only  obferve,  as  a  fequel  of  the  argument, 
though  not  noticed  in  my  v/ork,  the  remifVkable 
fimihtuJe  between  the  (lyle  of  St.  John's  gcfpel, 
and  of  St.  John's  fjrll  epiftle.  The  flyle  of  St. 
John's  is  not  at  all  the  flyle  of  Sr.  Paul's  epillles, 
though  both  are  very  lingular;  nor  is  it  the  Hylc 
of  St  James's  or  of  Sr.  Pcta's  epiftle  :  but  it  bears  a 
refcmblancc  to  the  ftvle  of  the  pofnel  infcriLcd  v.ith 

Y  St, 


322  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

St.  John's  name,  fo  far  as  that  refemblance  can  be 
expefted  to  appear,  which  is  not  in  fimple  narrative, 
fo  much  as  in  reflections,  and  in  the  reprefcntation 
of  difcourfes.  Writings,  fo  circumilaneed,  prove 
themfelves,  and  one  another,  to  be  genuine.  This 
correfpondency  is  the  more  valuable,  as  the  epiftle 
itfelf  aiferts,  in  St.  John's  manner  indeed,  but  in 
terms  futEciently  explicit,  the  writer's  perfonai  know- 
ledge of  Chrill's  hiftory  :  '  That  which   was  from 

*  the  beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which  we 
'  have  feen  with  our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked 

*  upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled,  of  the  word 
'  of  life,  that  which  we  have  feen  and  heard,  declare 
'  we  unto  yon  *.'  Who  would  not  defire,  who  per- 
ceives not  the  value  of  an  account,  delivered  by  a 
writer  fo  well  informed  as  this  ? 


CHAP.    VIII. 
Of  the  Hi/iory  of  the  Refurredion, 

X  HE  hiftory  of  the  refurreftion  of  Chrifl: 
is  a  part  of  the  evidence  of  Chriftianity  ;  but  I  do 
not  know,  whether  the  proper  ftrength  of  this  paf- 
fage  of  the  Chriftian  hiftory,  or  wherein  its  peculiar 
value,  as  a  head  of  evidence,  confifts,  be  generally 
underftood.  It  is  not  that,  as  a  miracle,  the  refur- 
re6lion  ought  to  be  accounted  a  more  decifive  proof 
of  fupernatural  agency  than  other  miracles  are  ;  it  is 
not  that,  as  it  ftands  in   the  gofpels,   it   is  better 

*  C.  i.  V.  i.  3. 

attefted 


EVIDENCES  or  CHRISTIANITY.  32^ 

aitefted  than  fome  others  ;   ic  is  not,  for  eiiher  of 
thefe  rcafons,  that  more  weiglu  belongs  to  it  thaa 
to  other  miracles,  hut  for  the  following,  viz.  that  it 
i:.  completely  certain,   that  the    apoilles  of  Chriil-, 
and  the  firll  teachers  of  Chrillianity,  afferied  the  la*^:. 
And  this  wonld  have  been  certain,  if  the  four  gof- 
pels  had  been  loft,  or  never  vt^ritten.     Every  piecj 
of  fcripture  rccoo^nizes  the  refurreftion.    Every  cpif- 
tle  of  every  apoftle,  every  author  contemporary  with 
the  apoilles,  of  the  age  immediately  fuccecding  tlie 
apoftlcs,  every  writing  from  that  age  to  the  prefent, 
genuine  or  fpurious,  on  the  fide  of  Chriftianity  or 
againft  it,  concur  in  reprefenting  the  rcfurre£tion  of 
Chrifl  as  an  article  of  iiis  hillory,  received  without 
doubt  or  difagreement   by  all  who  called  themftlves 
Chriftians,    as    alleged  from   the  beginning  by  the 
propagators  of  the  inftitution,  and  alleged  as  the  cen- 
tre of  thtir  teflimony.    Notliing,  I  apprehend,  which 
a  man  does  not  himfelf  fee  or  hear,  can  be  more 
certain  to  him  than  this  point.     I  do  not  mean,  that 
nothing   can  be  more  certain  than  that  Chriil  rofe 
from  the  dead  ;   but  that  nothing  can  be  more  cer- 
tain than  that  his  apoilles,  and  the  firfl  teachers  of 
Chriftianity  gave  out  that  he  did  fo.      In  the  other 
parts   of  the  gofpel   narrative,    a  queftion  may  be 
made,  whether  the  things  related  of  Chrift,  be  the 
very   things  which   the  apoftles   and   firft   teachers 
of  the  relii^ion  delivered  concerninix  him.     And  this 
queftion  depends  a  good  deal  upon  tlie  evidence  we 
poffefs  of  the  genuinenefs,  or  rather  perhaps,  of  the 
antiquity,  credit,  and  reception  of  the  books.    Upon 
the  fubjccl  of  the  refurre6lion  no  fuch  difcuftion  is 
necelfary,  becaufe  no  fuch  doubt  can  be  entertained. 
The  only  points,  which  can  enter  into  our  confidcr- 
ation,  are,  whether  the  apoflies  knowingly  publiih- 
cd  a  falfchood,  or  whetlur   they  were   ihcmfelvrs 

Y  2  deceived  j 


324  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

dfcerved  ;  whether  either  of  thefe  fuppofitious  be' 
pofTible.  The  firfl,  I  think,  is  pretty  generally- 
given  up.  The  nature  of  the  undertaking,  and  of 
the  men  ;  the  extreme  unHkehhood  that  fuch  men 
fliould  engage  in  fuch  a  meafure  as  -i  fcheme ;  their 
pcrfonal  toils  and  clangers  and  fulTeringii  in  the  caufe  ; 
their  appropriation  of  thci'r  whole  time  to  the  objeiSl:  ^ 
the  warm  and  feemingly  iinaite<£l:ed  zeal  and  earneft- 
nefs  with  which  they  prolcfs  their  fmceriry,  exempt 
ihcir  memory  from  the  fufpicion  of  irapofi-ure.  The 
fulution  more  dcfervrng  of  notice,  is  that  which 
would  refolve  the  conducl  of  the  apoilies  \mo  enfbu- 
fiafm;  which  would  clafs  the  evidence  of  Chrifl's 
refurreclion  with  the  numerous  (tories  that  arc  ex- 
tant of  the  apparitions  of  dead  men.  There  are  cir- 
cumfuanccs  in  tlie  n.arratlve,  as  it  is  preferved  in  our 
hiftoi'ies,  which  deilroy  this  comparifon  entirely.  It 
was  not  one  perfon,  h)iit  many,  who  faw  him  ;  they 
faw  him  not  only  fepararely,  but  together,  not  only 
by  night,  but  by  day,  not  at  a  diRance,  but  near, 
not  once,  but  feveral  times ;  they  not  only  faw  him, 
but  touched  him,  converfcd  with  him,  eat  with  him,_ 
esammed  his  perfon  to  fatrsfy  their  doubts.  Thefe 
particular;,  are  decifive :  but  rhey  (land,  I  do  admit, 
upon  tliC  credit  of  our  records,  !  would  anfwer, 
therefore,  the  infmuaL ion  of  enthuilaf  n,  by  a  circum' 
ftance  vv'bicb  arifes  out  of  the  nature  of  the  thing, 
and  the  reality  of  which  mull  be  confeffed  by  all, 
who  allow,  what  I  believe  is  not  denied,  that  the 
refurrection  of  Chrill,  whether  true  or  falfe,  was 
aiTcrted  by  his  difcij^'ies  i'rom  the  beginning  ;  and 
that  circumflance  is  the  non-produ6tion  of  the  dead 
body.  It  is  reh.tcd  in  the  hill:ory,  Vvdiat  indeed  the 
fiiovy  of  the  refurre*f!:ion  neceifarily  implies,  that  the 
corpt'e  was  milfing  out  of  the  fepulchre  ;  it  is  related 
alfo  in  ihc  hillory,  that  tl;.e  Jews  reported  that  the 

followers- 


EVIDENCES  OE  CHRISTIANITY.  .325 

fojlowcis  ot  Clirifl  had  (tolcn  it  away*.  And  this 
account,  thoiir^h  loaded  with  grertt  improbahiliiies, 
fiich  as  the  fitiKuion  of  the  difciplcs,  their  fears  for 
tlicir  o'A  11  fifVry  iir  the  time,  the  milikehhood  of  tlieir 
expe^iiig  :o  liiccced,  the  diOici'.hy  of  acliial  fiiccefsf, 
and  the  ineviraolc  confequ- ice  of  detet?rion  and 
faihire,  was,  ncvenliclcfs,  the  mod  credible  account 
that  could  be  pjvcn  of  the  matter.  But  it  proceeds 
entirely  upon  the  fuppofuion  of  fraud,  as  all  the  old 
objcctious  did.  What  account  can  be  given  of  the 
body,  upon  the  fuppofition  of  enthufiafm  ?  It  is  im- 
pofTible  our  Lord's  followers  could  b.elieve  that  he 
was  rifen  from  the  dead,  if  his  corpfe  was  lyinjr  be- 
fore them.  No  enthufiafm  ever  reached  to  fuch  a 
pitch  of  extravapjancy  as  tliat :  a  fpirit  may  be  an 
iilufioii,  a  hody  is  a  real  thinf:^  ;  im  objeifi:  of  fcnfe, 
in  whivli  there  can  be  no  midake.  All  accounts  of 
fpedlres  leave  the  body  in  the  grave.  And,  although 
the  body  of  Chriil  might  be  removed  hy  frauds  and 
for  the  purpofes  of  fraud,  yet,  without  any  fuch  in- 
tention, and  by  fmcere  but  deluded  men,  which  is 
the  rcprefentation  of  the  apoflolic  ch.iradlf.r  we  arc 

*   *  And  this  fiyinp,'   St.  M:it:hcw  wriies,  *  is  commnr.ly 

*  reported  amongft  til :  Jews  iip.til  this  day.'  (xxviii.  15.)  The 
evangciiil  may  be  thnujrht  g  'od  Hiirlio-ity  as  to  this  point,  even 
fey  tliofe  who  do  not  admit  his  evidence  i:i  every  '  thcr  prn:it ; 
and  tills  point  is  fufficicnt  to  prove  tliat  thii  body  w?.s  m  (Iins;. 

It  has  aifo  been  rightly,  I  thiak,  obfcrved  by  Dr  Townfcnd 
(Dif.  upon  tlic  Refur.  p.  126),  th.it  tiie  Itory  of  tli^  £;uarils 
carried  colhifion  upon  the  fiice  of  it  : — '  His  d  fc'plcs  ciirre  bv 

*  night,  and  Hole  him  away,  while  we  fjept  '  Men  in  their 
circumftanccs  would  not  have  made  fuch  an  aclcnowL'dgment 
ot  their  ntgligence,  without  previous  uiruranccs  of  protection 
and  impunity. 

f  '  Kfpccially  at  tl:c  fuH  n'.onn,  the  ci.y  full  of  po^^pl?,  m  uiy 
'  probally  p.fTing  tlii;  whole  night,  as  Jeliis  and  his  difoiples 

*  had  done,  in  the  open  air,  tlie  llpidclire  {r>  nca*-  the  cit/  as 

*  to  be  now  Inclofcd  within  tlic  walls.'  rricitleyon  the  Rclur. 
.p.  74. 

Y  3  now 


326  A  VIEW  OF  TH£ 

now  examining,  no  fuch  attempt  could  be  made. 
The  prefcnce  and  the  abfence  of  the  dead  body  are 
alike  inconfiflent  with  the  hypothcfis  of  enthufiafm  ; 
for  if  pre/ent,  it  mull  have  cured  their  enthufiafm 
at  once  ;^  if  abfent,  fraud,  not  enthufiafm,  mud  have 
carried  it  away. 

But  further,  if  we  admit  upon  the  concurrent 
teftimony  of  all  the  hiftories,  fo  much  of  the  account 
IS  flates  that  the  religion  of  Jefus  was  fet  up  at  Jera- 
falem,  and  fet  up  wiih  afferting,  in  the  very  plact  in 
winch  he  had  been  buried,  and  a  few  days  after  he 
had  been  buried,  his  refurreftion  out  of  the  grave, 
ic  is  evident,  that  if  his  body  could  have  been  found, 
the  Jews  would  have  produced  it,  as  the  fhorteft 
and  completed  anfwer  polTible  to  the  whole  ftory. 
'J  he  attempt  of  the  apoftles  could  not  have  furvivtrd 
this  refutation  a  moment.  If  we  alfo  admit,  upon 
the  authority  of  St.  Matthew,  that  the  Jews  were 
advertifed  of  the  expectation  of  Chrift's  followers, 
and  that  they  had  taken  due  precaution  in  confe- 
quence  of  this  notice,  and  that  the  body  was  in 
marked  and  public  cuftody,  the  obfervation  receives 
more  force  ftill.  For  notwithftanding  their  precau- 
tion, and  although  thus  prepared  and  forewarned  ; 
when  the  (lory  of  the  refurre£lion  came  forth,  as  it 
immediately  did  :  when  it  was  publicly  afferred  by 
his  difciples,  and  made  the  ground  and  bafis  of  their 
preaching  in  his  name,  and  colle61ing  followers  to 
his  religion,  the  Jews  had  not  the  body  to  produce: 
but  were  obliged  to  meet  the  teflimony  of  the  apof- 
tles  by  an  anfwer,  not  containing  indeed  any  impof- 
fibility  in  itfelf,  but  abfolutely  inconfiftent  with  the 
fuppoiiiion  of  their  integrity  ;  that  is,  in  other  words, 
inconfiftent  with  the  fuppolition  which  v;ould  refolve 
their  conduft  into  enthullafm. 

CHAP. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  327 

CHAP.     IX. 

The  Prcpagation  of  Cbri/lianity. 

1 N  this  argument,  ihc  firft  confideration 
is  the  h£!t  \  in  what  degree,  within  what  time,  and 
to  what  extent,  Chriilianity  aftually  was  propa- 
gated. 

The  accounts  of  the  matter,  which  can  be  collec- 
ted from  our  books,  are  as  follow : — A  few  days 
after  Chrilf's  difappearance  out  of  the  world,  we  find 
an  aflembly  of  difciplcs  at  Jernfalem,  to  the  number 
of  '  about  one  hundred  and  twenty*  ;'  which  hun- 
dred and  twenty  were,  probably,  a  little  afTociation 
of  believers,  met  together,  not  merely  as  believers 
in  Chrill,  but  as  perfonally  connected  with  the  apo(- 
tles,  and  wiih  one  another.  Whatever  was  the 
number  of  bdicvers  then  in  Jcrufalem,  we  have  no 
rcafon  to  be  furprifcd  that  fo  fmall  a  company  fliould 
iiifcfmblc ;  for  there  is  no  proof  that  the  followers 
of  Chrifl  were  yet  formed  into  a  fociety,  that  the 
fociety  was  reduced  into  any  order,  that  it  was  at 
this  lime  even  underdood  that  a  new  religion  (in  the 
fciife  which  that  term  conveys  to  us)  was  to  be  fet 
up  in  the  vyorld,  or  how  the  profeffors  of  that  rcli- 
p,ion  were  to  be  diflin:;uiQied  from  the  refl  of  man- 
kind. The  death  of  Chrift  had  left,  we  may  fup- 
pofe,  the  generality  of  his  difciplcs  in  great  doubt, 
both  as  to  v/Iiat  they  were  to  do,  and  concerning 
what  WIS  to  follov/. 

*  Afti  i.  5. 

Y  4  This 


32S  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

This  meeting  was  belti,  as  we  have  already  faid, 
a  few  days  afcer  Chrifl's  afcenfion  ;  for  icn  (^ays 
after  that  event  was  the  day  of  Pentecoft,  when,  as 
our  hiftoi-y  relates  *,  upon  a  figna!  difplay  of  divine 
agency  attending  the  perfons  of  the  apoilles,  there 
were  added  to  the  fociety  "  about  three  thoufand 
'  fou!s|.'  But  here,  it  is  not,  I  think,  to  be  taken, 
that  ihcTe  three  thoufand  Vi^ere  aii  converted  hj  this 
fm vie  miracle;  but  rather  tliat  many  who  v/ere  be- 
fore believers  in  Chrift,  became  now  profelTors  of 
Cliriflianity  ;  that  is  to  fay,  when  they  found  that  a 
re!i;^ion  v/as  to  be  eftablifhed,  a  fociety  formed  and 
fer  up  in  the  name  of  Chrifi:,  governed  by  his  laws, 
:.vowing  their  belief  in  his  raiiTion,  united  amongft 
themfelves  and  feparated  from  the  reft  of  the  world 
by  vifible  diftinftions,  in  purfuance  of  their  former 
conviclion,  and  by  virtue  of  wliat  they  had  heard 
and  feen  and  known  of  Chrifl's  hiftory,  they  pub- 
licly became  members  of  it. 

We  read  in  the  fourth  t  chapter  of  the  A^s,  that 
foon  after  this,  '  the  number  of  the  men,*  /.  e.  of 
the  fociety  openly  profefling  their  belief  in  Chrift, 
'  was  about  five  thoufand.'  So  that  here  is  an  in- 
creafe  of  two  thoufand  wiihiu  a  very  ihort  time. 
And  it  is  probable  that  there  were  m.any,  both  now 
and  afterwards,  who,  although  they  believed  in 
Chrift,  did  not  think  it  neceffary  to  join  themfelves 
to  this  fociety  ;  or  who  waited  to  fee  what  was  likely 
to  become  of  it.  Gamaliel  w^hofe  advice  to  the 
jewiih  council  is  recorded,  A6ls  iv.  34,  appears  to 
have  been  of  this  defcription  ;  perhaps  Nicodemus", 
and  perhaps  alfo  Jofeph  of  Arim.athea.  This  clafs 
of  men,  thicir  charafter  and  their  rank,  are  likewife 
pointed  out  by  St.  John,  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of 
his  gofpel,  *  neverihelefs  among  the  chief  rulers  alfo 

*Ae.sli.  I.  fib.  il.  41,  tVerfe4. 

'  many 


EVIDEMCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  323 

*  many  believed  on  iiim  ;   Init  becaufe  of  the  Phari- 

*  fees  they  did  not  confefs  him,  left  they  (hculd  be 

*  put  out  of  the  fyna'i;oguc  :  for  they  lo\'ed  the  praifc 
'  of  men  more  than  the  praife  of  God.'  Perfons  fiich 
as  rhefe,  might  admit  the*  niracics  of  Chrifl,  without 
bcMig  immediately  convinced  that  they  were  under 
obligation  10  make  a  public  profeilion  of  Chrillianiiy, 
at  the  rilk  ol  all  that  was  dear  to  them  in  life,  and 
even  of  life  itfclf*. 

Chrillianity,  however,  proceeded  to  increafe  in 
Jcrufalem  by  a  progrefs  equally  rapid  with  its  firfl 
fuccefs  ;  for,  in  the  next  |  chapter  of  our  hiflory, 
we  re'-id  that  '  believers  were  the  more  added  to  the 
'  Lcrd,  multitudes  both  of  men  and  women. '  And 
this  cnhirgement  of  the  new  focicty  appears  in  the 
firft  verfe  of  the  fuccceding  chapter,  wherein  we  arc 
told,  that,  '  when  the  number  of  the  difciples  was 
multiplied^  there  arole  a  murmuring  of  the  Grecians 


*  *  Befi  Jes  diofe  who  profcfTed,  and  tbofe  who  rejefted  and  op- 

*  pofeJ  Chrillianity,  there  were,  in  all  probability,  multitudes 

*  between  both,  neither  pertert  Chriitia^s,  nor  yet  unbelievers. 

*  They  liad  a  t'av'.urable  opi -lion  of  the  gofpel,  but  worldly 
'  conliderations  made  them  unwilling  to  own  it.     There  were 

*  many  circumftances  wliich  inclined' them  to  think  that  Chrilli- 

*  anily  was  a  divine  revelation,  but  there  were  many  inconve- 

*  niences  which  attended  die  open  proftfllon  of  it ;  and  they 

*  could  not  find  in  themfclves  courage  enough  to  bear  them,  to 

*  difoblige  their  friends  and  family,  to  ruin  their  fortunes,  to 

*  loib  their  reputation,  their  liberty,  and  their  life,  for  the  'nke 

*  of  the  new  religion.  Therefore  they  were  willing  to  hrpe, 
'  that  if  they  endeavoured  to  obferve  the  great  precepts  cX 
'  morality,  whicli  Chrill  had  reprcfcntcd  as  rlie  principal  part, 

*  the  fum  and  fubftancc  of  rc'.igion  ;  it  they  thouglit  honourably 
'  of  the  trofpel,  if  they  offered  no  injury  to  the  Chriftians,  if 

*  th  y  did  them  all  the  fervices  tint  they  could  fafcly  perform, 

*  they  were  willing  to  hope  that  God  would  accept  this,  and 

*  that  he  would  exculi:  and  forgive  the  red.'  Jortin's  Dif.  on 
the  Chrill.  Rel.  p.  91.  ed.  4. 

■\    Ibid  V.  1^1- 


againd 


330  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

againfl  the  Hebrews  becaufe  their  widows  were 
neglefted*.'  and,  afterwards  in  the  fame  chapter, 
it  is  declared  exprefsiy,  that  *  the  number  of  the 

*  difciples  multipHed  in  Jerufalem  greatly,  and  that 

*  a  ^reat  company  of  the  priefts  were  obedient  to 
«  the  faith.* 

This  I  call  the  firft  period  in  the  propagation  of 
Chriftianity.  It  commences  with  the  afcenfion  of 
Chrift  ;  and  extends,  as  may  be  coliefted  from  inci- 
dental notes  of  time-[-,  to  fomething  more  than  one 
year  after  that  event.  During  which  term  the 
preaching  of  Chriftianity,  fo  far  as  our  documents 
inform  us,  was  confined  to  the  fmgle  city  of  Jeru- 
falem. And  how  did  it  fucceed  there  ?  The  firft: 
afiembly  which  we  meet  with  of  Chrill's  difciples, 
and  that  a  few  days  after  his  removal  from  the 
world,  confifted  of  '  one  hundred  and  twenty.' — 
About  a  week  after  this  '  three  thoufand  were  added* 
in  one  day ;  and  the  number  of  Chriftians,  publicly 
baptized,  and  publicly  alTociating  together,  were 
very  foon  increased  to  '  five  thoufand.*    '  Multitudes 

*  both  of  men  and  women  continued  to  be  added  ;' 

*  difciples  multiplied  greatly,*  and  '  many  of  the 
'  Jcwiih  priefthood,  as  well  as  others,  became  obe- 
'  dient  to  the  faith  ;'  and  this  within  a  fpace  of  Icfs 
than  two  years  from  the  commencement  of  the  in- 
ftitution. ' 

By  reafon  of  a  perfecution  raifed  againft  the 
church  at  Jerufalem,  the  converts  were  driven  from 
that  city,  and  difperftd  throughout  the  regions  of 
Judea  and  Samaria}.  Wherever  they  came,  they 
brought  their  religion  with  them  -,  for  our  hiftiorian 

*  A(5ts  vl.  t. 

f  Vide  Pearfon'5  Antiq.  1.  xvlii  c.  7.  Bcnfon's  Hlft  of  Chrift. 
book  i.  p,  148. 
J   Ibid  viii.  i. 

informs 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  231 

informs  us*,  that  '  tlicy,  that  were  fear tcred  abroad, 
'went  every  where  preaching  the  word.  Ihe 
effca  of  this  preaching  comes  afterwards  to  be  no- 
ticed where  the  hiftorian  is  led,  in  the  courfe  of 
his  narrative,  to  obferve,  that  then,  (/.  c.  about 
three  years  \  pofterior  to  this)  '  the  churches  had 

*  r-ft  throui^hout  all  Judea,  and  Galilee  and  Samaria, 

*  and  were  edified,  and   walking;  in  the  fear  of  the 

*  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Gholt,  were 
'  multiplied.'  This  was  the  work  of  the  fecond  pe- 
riod,  which  comprifcs  about  four  years. 

Hitherto  the  preaching  of  the  gofpel  had  been 
confined  to  Jews  to  Jewifli  profelytes  and  to  Sa- 
maritans. And  I  cannot  forbear  from  fetting  do^yn, 
in  this  place,  an  obfervation  of  Mr.  Bryant's  which 
appears  to  me  to  be  perfeftly  well  founded  :— *  1  he 
Tews  ftiU  remain,  but  how  feldom  is  it  that  we  can 
make  a  fmgle  profelyte  ?  There  is  reafon  to  thmk, 
'  that  there  were  more  converted  by  the  apoltles  in 
'  OV.Z  day,  than  have  fince  been  won  over  in  the  lad 
*  thoudrnd  years +  .'  n,         i        1, 

It  was  not  yet  known  to  the  apoltles,  that  they 
were  at  Hbeny  to  propofe  the  religion  to  mankind 
at  hrge.  That  '  myftery,'  as  St.  Paul  calls  it§, 
and  as  it  then  was,  was  revealed  to  Peter  by  an 
efpecial  miracle.  It  appears  to  have  been  \\  about 
feven  years  after  Chrilt's  afcenfion,  that  the  gofpel 
was  preached  to  the  Gentiles  of  Cefarea.  A  year 
after  this,  a  rreat  multitude  of  Gentiles  were  con- 
verted at  Antioch  in  Syria.  The  exprefllons  em- 
ployed by  the  hiilorian  are  thefe— '  a  great  number 
'  believed,  and  turned  to  the  Lord  ;'  '  much  people 
«  was  added  unto  the  Lord  ;'   '  the  apoRles  Barnabas 

*  Verfe  4.  f  Benfon,  B.  I.  p.  207. 

i   Bryant  on  the  frutli  of  the  ChrillUn  Religion,  p.  112. 

()  Eph.  iii.  3— 0.  II  Benfon,  B.  II.  p.  23^. 

*  aad 


232  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  and  Paul  taught  much  people*.'  Upon  Herod's 
death,  which  happened  in  the  next  yearf,  it  is  ob- 
ferved  that  '  the  word  of  God  grew  and  multiplied  J.* 
Three  years  from  this  time,  upon  the  preaching  of 
Paul  at  Iconium,  the  metropolis  of  Lycaonia,  '  a 
'  great  multitude  both  of  Jews  and  Greeks  believ- 
'  ed§  ;'  and  afterwards,  in  the  courfe  of  this  very 
progrefs,  he  is  reprefented  as  '  making  many  difci- 

*  pies'  at  Derbe,  a  principal  city  in  the  flirae  diHrift. 
Three  years  ||  after  this,  which  brings  us  to  fixteen 
after  the  afcenfion,  the  apoftles  wrote  a  public  letter 
from  Jerufalem  to  the  Gentile  converts  in  Antioch, 
Syria,  and  Cilicia,  with  which  letter  Paul  travelled 
through  thefe  countries,  and  found  the  churches 
'  cdablifhed  in  the  faith,  and  increafmg  in  number 
'  daily ^.'  From  Afia  the  apodle  proceeded  into 
Greece,  where  foon  after  his  arrival  in  Macedonia, 
we  find  him  at  Thefialo'nica  ;  in  which  city  '  fome 
'  of  the  Jews  believed,  and  of  the  devout  Greeks  a 
'  rreat  multitude**.'    We  meet  alfo  here  with  an  ac- 

o 

cidental  hint  of  the  general  progrefs  of  the  Chriftian 
miifion,  in  the  exclamation  of  the  tumultuous  Jews 
of  Theflalonica,   '  that  they,  who  had   turned  the 

*  world  upfide  down,  were  come  thither  alfoff.' 
At  Berca,  the  next  city  at  which  St.  Paul  arrives,  the 
hiilorian,  who  was  prefent,  inform.s  us  that  '  many 
'  of  the  Jews  believedj];.'  The  next  year  and  half 
of  St.  Paul's  minidry  was  fpent  at  Corinth.  Of  his, 
fuccefs  in  that  city  we  receive  the  following  intima- 
tions :  '  that  mayiy  of  the  Corinthians  believed  and 

*  were  baptized,'  and  '  that  it  was  revealed  to  the 
'  apoftle  by  Chrift ,  that  he  had  much  people  in  that 

*  A<5ts  xi.  2  1,   24,   26.  f  Benfnn,  B.  II.  p.  289.      * 

%  xii.  24.  §   lb.  xiv.   1. 

II    Benfov.'s  HLl.  Chrlft,  B    III.  p.  ^^  «[  xvi.  5. 

**   XV ii.  4.  ff    lb.  V.  6.  XX   xvii.    12. 

'  city.' 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ^33 

-  city  */  Wichin  lefs  than  a  year  after  his  departure 
from  Corinth,  and  twenty-five  f  years  after  the 
afcenfion,  St.  Paul  fixed  his  llation  at  Ephcfus,  for 
the  fpace  of  two  years  |  and  fomething  more.  The 
cffeft  of  his  miniilry  in  that  city  and  neighbourhood, 
drew  from  the  hiftorian  a  reflcftion,  *  how  mightily 

*  prew  the  word  of  God  and  prevailed §.'  And  at 
tlfe  conclufion  of  this  period,  we  find  Demetrius  at 
the  head  of  a  parry,  who  were  alarmed  by  the  pro- 
irrcfs  of  the  religion,  complaining,  that  '  not  only 
'  at  Ephefns,  but  alfo  throughout  all  Alia  (/.  e.  the 

*  province  of  Lydia,  and  the  country  adjoining  to 

*  Ephefus)   thii   Paul    hath   perfuaded    and    turned 

*  away  much  people  ||.'  Befide  thefe  accounts, 
there  occur,  incidentally,  mention  of  converts  at 
Rome,  Alexandria,  Athens,  Cyprus,  Cyrenc,  Ma- 
cedonia, Philippi. 

This  is  the  third  period  in  the  propagation  of 
Chrillianity,  fetting  olTin  the  feventh  year  after  the 
afcenfion,  and  ending  at  the  twenty-eighth.  Now, 
lay  thefe  three  periods  together,  and  obferve  how 
the  progrefs  of  the  religion  by  thefe  accounts  is  re- 
prefented.  The  inditution,  which  probably  began 
only  after  its  author's  removal  from  the  world,  be- 
fore the  end  of  thirty  years,  had  fpread  itfelf  through- 
out  Judea,  Galilee,  and  Samaria,  almod  all  the  nu- 
numerous  diftrias  of  the  Lefier  Afia,  through  Greece,^ 
and  the  ifiands  of  the  iEgean  Sea,  the  fea  coaft  of 
Africa,  and  had  extended  itfelf  to  Rome,  and  into 
Italy.  At  Antioch  in  Syria,  at  Joppa,  Ephcfus, 
Corinth,  Thelfalonica,  Berca,  Iconium,  Dcrbe, 
Antioch  in  Pifidia,  vu  Lydda,  Saron,  the  number 
of  converts  is  intimated  by  the  exprcfiions  '  a  great 
'  number,*    '  great  multitudes,'    '  much  people.' — 

*  Aas  xvlli.  8—10.      t   Benfon,  B,  III.  p.  160. 

\  Aas  xix.  10.  \   lb.  xi\.  20.  1!    lb.  v.  26. 

Converr"; 


$34  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

■Converts  arc  mentioned,  without  any  defignation  of 
their  number*,  at  T)re,  Cefarea,  Troas,  Athens, 
Philippi,  Lyftra,  Damafcus.  During  all  this  time, 
Jerufalcm  continued  not  only  the  centre  of  the  mif- 
fion,  but  a  principal  feat  of  the  religion  ;  for  when 
St.  Paul  returned  thither,  at  the  conclufion  of  the 
period  of  which  we  are  now  confidering  the  accounts, 
the  other  apoftles  pointed  out  to  him,  as  a  reafon 
for  his  compliance  with  their  advice,  '  how  many 

*  thoufands  (myriads,  ten  ihoufands)  there  were  in 

*  that  city  who  believed  [.' 

Upon  this  abftraft,  and  the  writing  from  which 
it  is  drawn,  the  following  obfervations  feem  material 
to  be  made : 

I.  That  the  account  comes  from  a  perfon  who 
was  himfelf  concerned  in  a  portion  of  what  he  re- 
lates, and  waa  contemporary  with  the  whole  of  it ; 
who  vifited  Jerufalem,  and  frequented  the  fociety  of 
thofe  who  had  a£ied,  and  were  a£ting,  the  chief 
parts  in  the  tranfaftion.  I  lay  down  this  point  po- 
fiiively  ;  for  had  the  ancient  atteftations  to  this  valu- 
able record  been  lefs  fatisfaftory  than  they  are,  the 
unaffeiftednefs  and  fimplicity  with  which  the  author 
notices  his  prtfeiice  upon  certain  occafions,  and  the 
entire  abfence  of  art  and  defign  from  thefe  notices, 
would   have   been   fulHcient  to  perfuade  ray  mind, 

*  Confidering  the  extreme  concifenefs  of  many  parts  of  the 
hiltory,  the  filence  about  the  numbers  of  converts  is  no  proof  of 
their  paucity  ;  for  at  Philippi,  no  mention  whatever  is  made  of 
the  number,  yet  St.  Paul  addreffed  an  epiftle  to  that  church.  The 
churches  of  Galatia,  and  the  aff.^irs  of  thofe  churches,  were  con- 
liderable  enough  to  be  the  fubjed  of  another  letter,  and  of  much 
of  St.  Paul's  folicitude,  yet  no  account  is  prefervedin  the  hiftory 
of  his  fuccefs,  or  even  of  his  preaching,  in  that  country,  except 
the  flight  notice  which  thefe  words  convey  : — '  when  they  had 

*  gone  throughout  Phrygia,  and  the  reg'on  of  Galatia,  they 

*  elHiyed  to  go  into  Eithyi.i.i.'     xvi.  6. 

f   Ai5ls  xxi.  20, 

that, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  235 

that,  whoever  he  was,  he  ai^iially  lived  in  the  times, 
and  occupied  the  fituation,  in  v/hich  he  rcprcfent* 
himfeU  to  be.  When  I  fay  '  whoever  he  was,*  I 
do  not  mean  to  caft  a  doubt  upon  the  name,  to 
which  antiquity  hath  afcribed  the  A<fts  of  the  Apof- 
tics,  (for  there  is  no  caufe,  that  I  am  acquainted 
with,  for  queftioning  it)  but  to  obferve,  that  in  fuch 
a  cafe  as  this,  the  time  and  fituation  of  the  author, 
is  of  more  importance  than  his  name  ;  and  that  thefe 
appear  from  the  work  itfelf,  and  in  the  molt  unfuf- 
picious  form. 

II.  That  this  account  is  a  very  incomplete  account 
of  the  preaching  and  propagation  of  Chriftianity  ;  I 
meaii,  that,  if  what  we  read  in  the  hiftory  be  true, 
much  more  than  what  the  hillory  contains  mull:  be 
true  alfo.  For,  although  the  narrative  from  which 
our  information  is  derived  has  been  eniitled  the  A£ls 
of  the  Apoftles,  it  is  in  fa6l:  a  hiilory  of  the  twelve 
apoftles,  only  during  a  fliort  time  of  their  continuing 
together  at  Jerufalem  ;  and  even  of  this  period  the 
account  is  very  concife.  The  work  afterwards  con- 
fills  of  a  few  important  paffages  of  Peter's  miniflry, 
of  the  fpeech  and  death  of  Stephen,  of  the  preach- 
ing of  Phihp  the  deacon  ;  and  the  fequel  of  the  vo- 
lume, that  is,  two-thirds  of  the  whole,  is  taken  up 
with  il^  converfion,  the  travels,  the  difcourfes  and 
hiftory,  of  the  new  apoftle  Paul,  in  which  hillory 
alfo  large  portions  of  time  are  often  paiTed  over  with 
very  fcanty  notice. 

III.  That  ths  account,  io  far  as  it  goes,  is  for 
this  very  reafon  more  credible.  Had  it  been  the 
author's  defign  10  have  difpUiycd  the  early  progrefs 
of  Chrillianity,  he  would  undoubtedly  have  collec- 
ted, or,  at  lead,  have  fet  forth,  accounts  of  the 
preaching  of  the  reft  of  the  apoftles,  who  cannot, 
without  extreme  improbability,  be  fuppofed  to  have 
remained  filent  and  inaftive,  or  not  to  have  met  with 

u  Ihare 


2^6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

a  fliare  of  that  fuccefs  which  attended  their  cot- 
leagues.  To  which  may  be  added,  as  an  obfervation 
of  the  fame  kind  : 

IV.  That  the  intimations  of  the  number  of  con- 
verts, and  of  the  fuccefs  of  the  preaching  of,  the 
apofties,  come  out  for  the  nioft  part  i?icidenta/Iy ; 
are  drawn  from  the  hiflorian  by  the  occafion  ;  fuch 
as  the  murmuring  of  the  Grecian  converts  ;  tlie  reft 
from  perfecurion  ;  Herod's  death,  the  fending  of 
Barnabas  to  Antioch  ;  and  Barnabas  calling  Paul  to 
his  alTiliancc  ;  Paul  coming  to  a  place  and  finding 
there  difciples ;  the  clamour  of  the  Jews  ;  the  com- 
plaint of  artificers  interefled  in  the  fupport  of  the 
popular  religion  ;  the  reafon  afTigned  to  induce  Paul 
to  give  faiisfaftion  to  the  Chriflians  of  Jerufalein. 
Had  it  not  been  for  thefe  occafions,  it  is  probable 
that  no  notice  whatever  would  have  been  taken  of 
the  number  of  converts,'  in  feveral  of  the  paffages  in 
Vv^hich  that  notice  now  appears.  All  this  tends  to 
remove  the  fufpicion  of  any  dcfign  to  exaggerate  or 
deceive. 

Parallel  testimonies  with  the  hiflory,  are 
the  letters  which  have  comedown  to  us  of  St.  Paul, 
and  of  the  other  apoflles.  Thofe  of  St.  Paul  are 
addrefl'cd  to  the  churches  of  Corinth,  Philippi,Thcf- 
falonica,  the  church  of  Galatia,  and,  if  the  infcrip- 
tion  be  right,  of  Ephefus,  his  miniftry  at  all  which 
places  is  recorded  in  the  hiftory ;  to  the  church  of 
Coioffe,  or  rather  to  the  churches  of  Coloffe  and 
Laodicca  jointly,  which  he  had  not  then  vifited. 
They  recognize  by  reference  the  churches  of  Judaea, 
the  churches  of  Afi  i,  and  '  all  the  churches  of  the 
'  Gentiies*.'  In  the  epidlef  to  the  Romans,  the 
author  is  led  lo  deliver  a  remarkable  declaration, 
concerning  the  extent  of  his  preaching,  its  efHcacy, 

*  I  TheiT.  ii.   14.     Rom,  xvi.  4 — 16.  f  xv.  18,  19. 

I       •  and 


EVIDENCES  OF  CIIRISTIANI  FY.  337 

iind  the  caufc:  to  which  he  afcribes  it,    *  to  ni;ilic 

*  the  Gen  iics  obidicnt  by  word  and  deed,  thioui^U 

*  mighty  ligns  and  wonders,  by  the   |)o\ver  oi  the 

*  fpirit  of  God,  fo  that,  from  Jerufdlem,  and  round 

*  about   Illyricum,  1  have  fully  preached  tlic  gofpel 

*  of  Chrift.*  In  the  epillle  to  the  Coloilians*,  we 
find  an  olillque,  but  very  ftrong  figniftcaiion,  of  the 
then  general  Hate  of  the  Chridian  million,  at  lead  as 
it  appeared  to  St.  Paul  :   '  If  ye  continue  in  the  faith, 

*  grounded  and  fettled,  and  be  not  moved  away  irora 

*  the  liope  of  the  gofpel,  which  ye  have  heard,  and 
'  1-jhich    ivas  prcuched   to    every   creature  ivhich  is 

*  under  heaven;*  which  gofpel,  he  had  remiiided 
them  near  the  beginning!  of  iiis  letter,  '  was  prefent 
'  with  them  as  it  ivas  in  all  the  world,"*  The  cx- 
prellions  are  hyperbolical  ;  but  they  are  hyperboles 
which  could  only  be  ufed  by  a  writer  who  enrer- 
taint'd  a  flrong  fenfe  of  the  fiibjeft.  '1  he  firil  epiltle 
of  Peter  accofts  the  chriftians  difperfed  thrui  g'lout 
Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappadoeia,  Afia  and  Bythynia. 


IT  comes  next  to  be  conHdered,  how  far  iliefc 
accounts  are  confirmed,  or  followed  up  by  other 
evidence. 

Tacitus,  in  dehvering  a  relanon,  which  ha?  already 
been  laid  before  the  reader,  of  the  fire  which  '^.iip- 
pencd  at  Rome  in  the  tenth  year  of  Nero,  which 
coincides  with  the  thirtieth  year  after  Chrifl's  af^c  r> 
fion,  aflerts,  thai  the  emperor,  in  ordrr  to  fupprefs 
the  rumours  of  having  been  hi:i?felf  the  author  of 
tlie  mifchief,  procured  tlie  Chriftians  to  be  accufed. 
Of  which  Chriftians,  thus  brought  into  his  narrative, 

*  1.  23.  t  1.  6. 

Z  ilic 


338  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

the  following  Is  fo  much  of  the  hiiiorian's  account, 
as  belongs  to  our  prcfent  purpofe  :  '  They  had  their 
'  denomination  from  Chriflus,  who,  in  the  reign  of 

*  Tiberius,  was  put  to  death  as  a  criminal   by  the 

*  procurator  Pontius  Pilate.  This  pernicious  fuper- 
'  ftirion,  though  checked  for  a  while,  broke  out 
'  again,  and  fpread,  not  only  over  Judcea,  but  reached 
'  the  city  alfo.    At  firfh  they  only  were  apprehended, 

*  who  confeiTed  therafelves  of  that  fe^l ;  afterwards 

*  a  vaji  multitude  were  difcovered  by  them.'  Tnis 
teftimony  to  the  early  propagation  of  Chriftianity  Is 
extremely  material.  It  is  from  an  hiftorian  of  great 
reputation,  living  near  the  time,  from  a  ftranger  and 
an  enem.y  to  the  religion  ;  and  It  joins  immediately 
with  the  period  through  which  the  fcripture  ac- 
counts e-^tend.  It  eftabliflies  thefe  points,  that  the 
religion  began  at  Jerufalem,  that  it  fpread  through- 
out Judea,  that  It  had  reached  Rome,  and  not  only 
fo,  but  that  it  had  there  obtained  a  great  number  of 
converts.  This  was  about  fix  years  after  the  time 
that  St.  Paul  wrote  his  epiftle  to  the  Romans,  and 
foraething  more  than  two  years  after  he  arrived  there 
hirafelf.  The  converts  to  the  religion  were  then  fo 
numerous  at  Rome,  that  of  thofe  who  were  betrayed 
by  the  information  of  the  perfoi^s  firfl  profecuted,  a 
great  multitude  (muliltudo  ingens)  were  difcovered 
and  feized. 

It  feems  probable,  that  the  temporary  check  which 
Tacitus  reprefents  Chriflianity  to  have  received  (re- 
preiTa  in  prsefens)  referred  lo  the  perfecution  at  Je- 
rufalem, which  followed  the  death  of  Stephen  TAfls 
vili.)  ;  and  v»/hich,  by  difperfmg  the  converts,  caufed 
the  inftitution,  in  fome  meafure,  to  difappear.  Its 
fecond  eruption  at  the  fame  place,  and  within  a  fliorc 
time,  has  much  in  it  of  the  character  of  truth.  It 
v.as  the  lirmnefs  and  perfeverance  of  men  who  knew 
what  they  relied  upon. 

Next 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         339 

Next  in  order  of  time,  and  perhaps  fuperior  in 
importance,  is  the  teilimony  of  Pliny  the  youni^rr. 
Pliny  was  the  Koman  governor  of  Pontus  and  Birhy- 
nia,  two  confulerable  diftrifts  in  the  northern  parr  of 
Afia  Minor.     The  fituation  in  which  he  found  h's 
province,  led  him  to  apply  to  the  emperor  (Trajan) 
for  his  direftion,  as  to  tie  rondnft  lie  was  to  hold 
towards  the  Chrillians.     The  lectci,  in  which  ihis 
application  is  contained,  was  written  not  quite  eij^hry 
years  after  Chrift's  afcenfion.     The  prefidenr,  in  this 
letter,  (hitfs  xhe  meafures  he  had  already  purfucd, 
and  then  adds,  as  his  reafon  for  reforting  to  the  em- 
peror's counfel  and  authority,  the  followinn^  words  : 
— '  Sufpending  all  judicial  proceedings,  I  have  rc- 
courfe  to  you  for  advice  ;  foi    it  has  appeared  to 
i:  e  a  matter  highly  deferving  conlideration,  efpc- 
cially  upon  account  of  the  great  number  of  perfon^ 
who   are  in  danger  of  fullering :  for  many  of  all 
ages,  and  of  every  rank,  of  both  fexes  likewifc, 
are  accufed,   and  will   be  accufed.     Nor  has  the 
contagion  of  this  fuperfliiion  fcized  cities  only,  but 
the  lefs  rowns  alfo  and  the  open  country.     Never- 
thelefs  it  feemed  to  me  that  it  may  be  retrained 
and  correfted.    It  is  certain  that  the  temples,  which 
were  almoft  forlaken,  be'<in  to  be  more  frequented  ; 
and  the  facred  folemnities,  after  a  long  intermifTion, 
are  revived.     Vi£"tims,    likewile,  are  ev-ry  where 
(pafTim)  bought  up:  whereas,  for  fome  time,  there 
were  few  to  purchafe  them.      Whence  it  is  eafy  to 
imagine,  what  numbers  uf  nun  might  he  reclaimed, 
if  pardon  were  granted  to  thofe  that  fliall  repent*.* 
It  is  obvious  10  obferve,  that  the  palfage  of  Pliny'^ 
letter,  here  quoted,  proves  not  only  that  the  Chrif- 
tians  in  Pontus  and  Biihynia  were  now  nuiTjerous, 
but  that  iliey  had  fubfiftcd  there  for  fome  confidcra- 

*  C.  riin.  Trajano  Imp.  lib.  x,  ep.  xcvli. 

Z   2  ble 


340  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

ble  time.  '  It  is  certain  (he  fays)  that  the  temples, 
'  which  were  almolt  forf^iken,  (phiinly  afcribing  this 
'  defertion  of  the  popular  worihip  to  the  prevalency 
'  of"  Chri(Hanity)  begin  to  be  more  frequented  ;  and 
'  the  facred  falemnities,  after  a  long  inttrmifTion,  are 
'  revived.'  There  are  alfo  two  ciaufes  in  the  former 
part  of  the  letter  which  indicate  the  fame  thine  ;  one, 
in  which  he  declares,  that  he  had  '  never  been  pre- 
'  fent  at  any  trials  of  Chriilians,  and  therefore  knew 
'  not  what  was  the  ufual  fubjecl:  of  enquiry  and  pu- 
*  liiihment,  or  how  far  either  \^as  wont  to  be  ur:;ed:* 
the  fecond  claufe  is  the  following  ;  '  others  were 
^  named  by  an  informer,  who,  at  firft  confeiTed 
'  themfelvcs  Chriilians,  and  afterwards  denie  i  it  ; 
'  the  reil  faid,  they  had  been  Chridians,  fome  three 
'  years  ago,  fome  longer,  and  fome  above  twenty 
'  years.'  It  is  alfo  apparent  that  Pliny  fpeaks  of  the 
Chriilians  as  a  defcription  of  men  well  known  to  the 
perfon  to  whom  he  writes.  His  firft  fentence  con- 
cerning them  is,  '  I  have  never  been  prefcnt  at  the 
'  trials  of  Chriftians.'  This  mention  of  the  name 
of  Chriftians,  without  any  preparatory  explanation, 
fhows  that  it  was  a  term  familiar  both  to  the  writer 
of  the  letter,  and  the  perfon  to  whom  it  was  addref- 
fed.  Had  it  not  been  fo,  Pliny  would  naturally  have 
begun  his  letter  by  informing  the  emperor,  that  he 
had  met  with  a  certain  fet  of  men  in  the  province 
called  Chriilians. 

I-Iere  then  is  a  very  fignal  evidence  of  the  progrefs 
of  the  Chriftian  religion  in  a  (liort  fpace.  It  was 
not  fourfcore  years  after  the  crucifixion  of  Jefus, 
when  Pliny  wrote  this  letter  ;  nor  feventy  years  fmce 
the  apoftles  of  Jefus  began  to  mention  his  name  to 
the  Gentile  world.  Bithynia  and  Pontus  were  at  a 
great  diilance  frodi  Judea,  the  centre  from  which 
the  religion  fpread  ;  yet  in  thefe  provinces  Chrifti- 
anity  had  long  fubfifted,  and  Chrifiians  were  now  in 

fnch 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  2V 

fuch  numbers,  as  to  lead  the  Roman  governor  lo 
report  to  the  emperor,  that  they  were  found,  not 
only  in  cities,  but  in  village";  and  in  open  countries; 
of  all  ages,  of  every  rank  and  condition  ;  that  they 
abounded  fo  much,  as  to  have  produced  a  vifible 
defertion  of  the  temples  ;  that  beafts  brought  to 
market  for  viftims  had  few  purchafers  ;  t'.uit  the 
ficrc  d  fjlemnities  were  much  neglefted  :  circum- 
fiance5  noted  by  Pliny,  for  the  cxprcfs  purpofc  of 
Ihowing  to  the  emperor  the  eifeft  and  prevalency  of 
the  new  inflitution. 

No  evidence  remains,  by  which  it  can  be  proved 
that  the  Chridians  were  more  numerous  in  Pontus 
and  Bitliynia  than  in  otlier  parts  of  the  Roman  cm- 
pire ;  nor  has  any  reafon  been  oU'ered  to  fliow  why 
they  fhould  be  fo.  Chriftianity  did  not  begin  in  thefe 
countries,  nor  near  them.  I  do  not  know,  thcrt?- 
fore,  that  we  ought  to  confine  the  dticription  in 
Pliny's  letter  to  the  ftate  of  Chriftianity  in  thofe 
provinces,  even  if  no  other  account  of  the  fame 
fu' jecl  had  come  down  to  us ;  but,  certainly,  this 
letter  may  fairly  be  applied  in  aid  and  confirinatiou 
of  the  reprcfentations  given  of  the  p;eneral  ftate  of 
Chriftianity  in  the  world,  by  Chriftian  writx^rs  of 
that  and  the  next  fucceeding  age. 

Judin  Martyr,  who  wrote  about  thirty  years  after 
Pliny,  and  one  hundred  and  fix  after  the  afcenfion, 
has  thefe  remarkable  words :  '  there  is  not  a  nation, 
'  either  of  Greek  or  Barbarian,  or  of  any  other  name, 
'  even  of  thofe  who  wander   in  tribes,  and  live  in 

*  tents,   amongfl:   whom   prayers   and   thankfgivings 

*  are  not  offered  to  the  Futher  and  Creator  of  the 

*  univerfe,  by  the  name  of  the  crucified  Jefus*.' 
Tertullian,  who  comes  about  fifty  years  after  jufrin, 
appeals  to  the  governors  of  the  Ronrian  empire  rn 

"   Dial,  cum  Tryph. 

Z   7  thcfe 


342  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

thefe  terrn^ :  '  we  were  uut  of  yeflerday,  and  we 
'  have  f-  Ic  '  your  cities,  iflands,  towns  and  bo- 
'  roughs,  rhe  camp,  the  fenate,  and  the  forum. 
'  They  (the  hea»^htn  adverfaries  of  Chriflianity)  ia- 
'  ment,  that  every  fcx,  age  and  condition,  and  per- 

*  fons  of  every  rank  alfo,  are  converts  to  that  name.*' 
I  di)  allow  that  thefe  expreffions  are  loofe  and  may 
be  called  declamatory.  But  even  declar.ation  hath 
its  bounds :  this  public  boafling  upon  a  fubjeft, 
which  mud  be  known  to  every  reader,  was  not  only 
uftlcfs  but  unnatural,  unlefs  the  truth  of  the  cafe,  m 
a  confiderable  degree,  correfponded  with  rhe  defcrip- 
tion  ;  at  leafl,  unleis  it  had  been  both  'rue  and  no- 
torious, that  great  muhitudes  of  Chriftians,  of  all 
ranks  and  orders,  were  to  be  found  in  mofl  parts  of 
the  Roman  empire.  The  fame  Tertullian,  in  another 
paffage,  by  way  of  fetting  forth  the  extenfive  dilfti- 
fion  of  Chriflianity,  enumerates  as  belonging  to 
Chrifl,  befide  many  other  countries,  the  '  Moors 
'  and  Gcetulians  of  Africa,  the  borders  of  Spain, 
'  feveral  nations  of  France,  and  parrs  of  Britain  in- 
'  accefTible  to  the  Romans,  the  Sarmatians,  Daci, 
'  Germans,  and  Scythiansf:'  and,  which  is  more 
materia'  than  the  extent  of  the  inflitution,  the  man- 
ber  of  Chriftians  in  the  feveral  countries  in  which  it 
prevailed,  is  thus  expreffed  by  him  :  '  although  fo 
'  great  a  multitude,  that  in  almofl  every  ciry  we  form 
'  the  greater  part,  we  pafs  our  time  modeflly  and  in 
'  filencej.'  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  who  preceded 
Tertullian  by  a  few  years,  introduces  a  comparifon 
between  the  fuccefs  of  Chriflianity,  and  that  of  the 
mofl  celebrated  philofophical  inflitutions  :  '  The  phi- 
'  lofophers  were  confined  to  Greece,  and  to  their 
'  particular  retainers  ;  but  the  do£lrine  of  the  mafler 

*  of  Chriflianity  did  rot  remain  in  Judrea,  as  philo- 

*  Tertul .  Apol.  c.  37.    f  Ad  Jud.  c .  7.    4:  Ad  Scap.  c .  1 1 1 . 

'  fophy 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  34- 

*  fophy  did  ill  Greece,  but  is  fpread  throughout  the 
'  whole  world,  in  every  nation,  and  vilUige,  and  city, 

*  both  of  Greeks  and  Br.rbarians,  converting  both 

*  whole  houfes  and  feparate  individuals,  having  al- 
'  ready  brought  over  to  the  truth  not  a  few  of  the 
'  philofophers  themfelves.     If  the  Greek  philofophy 

*  be   prohibited,    it   immediately  vaniflies,  whereas, 

*  from  the  fjrll:  preaching  of  our  do6lrine,  kings  and 
'  tyrants,  governors  and  prefidents,  with  ilieir  whole 
'  train,  and  with  the  populace  on  their  fide,  have 

*  enJcavoured  with  their  whole  might  to  exterminate 
'  it,  yet  doth  it  flourifli  more  and  more*.*  Origen, 
who  follows  Tertullian  at  the  diftance  of  only  thirty 
years,  delivers  nearly  the  f^tme  account :  '  In  every 
'  part  of  the  world  (fays  he),  throughout  all  Greece, 

*  and  in  all  other  nations,  there  are  innumerable  and 
'  immcnfe  multitudes,  who,  having  left  the  laws  of 
'  their  country,  and  thofe  whom  they  efteemed  gods, 
'  have  given  themfelves  up  to  the  law  of  Mofes,  and 
'  the  religion  of  Chrift ;  and  this,  not  without  the 
'  bitterefl  refentment  from  the  idolaters,  by  whom 
'  they  were  frequently  put  to  torture,  and  fometimes 
'  to  death  :  and  it  is  wonderful  to  obferve,  how,  in 

*  fo  Ihorc  a  time,  the  religion  has  increafed  amidlt 
'  punifliment  and  death,  and  every  kind  of  torture-]-.' 
In  another  paffage  Origen  draws  the  followi:-ig  can- 
did comparifon,  between  the  ftate  of  Chrillianity  in 
his  time,  and  the  condition  of  its  more  primitive 
ages  : — '  By  the  good  providence  of  God  the  Chrif- 

*  tian  religion  has  fo  flourilbcd  and  increafed  conti- 
'  nually,  that  it  is  now  preached  freely  without  mo- 
'  lellation,  although  there  were  a  thoufand  obftacles 
'  to   the   fpreading  of  the  doctrine   of  Jefus  in  the 

*  world.     But,  as  it  was  the  will  of  God,  that  the 

*  Clem.  Al.  Strom,  lib.  vi.  ad  fin.     -]  Or.  in  Ccl.  lib.  i. 
X  Or.  con.  Cclf.  lib.  vil. 

'/.  4  '  Gentilss 


344  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  Gentiles  fliould  have  the  benefit  of  ir,  all  the  conn- 
*  cils  of  men  againll  the  Chriftians  were  defeated  ; 
'  and  by  how  much  the  more  emperors  and  governor> 
'  of  provinces,  and  the  people  every  where,  drove 
'  to  deprefs  them,  fo  much  the  more  have  they  in- 
'  creafj-d  and  prevailed  exceedingly*.' 

It  is  well  known,  that  v/ithin  lefs  than  eighty  years 
afrer  this,  the  Roman  empire  became  Chriflian  under 
Conllantine  ;  and  it  is  probable  that  Conflamine  de- 
cjvired  himfelf  on  the  fide  of  the  Chridians  becaufc 
they  were  the  powerful  party  :  for  Arnobius,  who 
wrote  immediately  before  Condantine's  accelTion, 
fpeaks  of  the  whole  world  as  filled  with  Chriil's  doc- 
trine, of  its  diifufion  throughout  all  countries,  of  an 
innumerable  body  of  Chriftians  in  ditlant  provinces, 
of  the  ftrange  revolution  of  opinion,  of  men  of  the 
greateft  genius,  orators,  grammarians,  rhetoricians, 
lawyers,  phyficians,  having  come  over  to  the  infli- 
mtion,  and  that  alfo  in  the  face  of  threats,  execu- 
tions, and  tortures-|-.'  And  not  more  than  twenty 
years  after  Conftantine's  entire-  pofTefTion  of  the  em- 
pire, Julius  Firmicus  Maternus  calls  upon  the  empe- 
rors Conflantius  and  Conftans  to  extirpate  the  relics 
of  the  ancient  religion  ;  tl\e  reduced  and  fallen  con- 
dition of  which  is  defcribed  by  our  author  in  the 
following  words : — '  Licet  adhuc  in  quibufdam  regi- 
'  onibus  idololatrias  morientia  palpitent  membra, 
'  tamen  in  co  res  eft,  ut  a  Chriftianis  omnibus  terris 
'  peftiferum  hoc  malum  funditus  amputetur;'  and  in 
another  place,  '  modicum  tantum  fupereft,  ut  legibus 
'  veftris — extin^ta  idololarrije  pereat  funcfta  conta- 
'  gioj.'     It  will  not  be  thought  tliat  we   quote  this 

*   Or.  con.  Ceir.  lib,  vli. 

f  Arnob.  in  Gentes,  1.  i.  p.  27,  9,  24,  42,  44.  Ed.  Lug. 
Bat.    t6co. 

J  De  ]Mrrir.  Profw.  Relig.  c.  2 1 .  p.  172.  Quoted  by  Lard- 
ner,  Vcl.  VUI.  p.  262. 

writer 


EVIDENCES  OF  CIIRISTIANITY.  345 

writer  in  oviicr  to  rtcnmmcnd  liis  temper  or  his 
jud^nit-nt,  but  to  fliow  the  comparative  ftatr  of 
Chridianiiy  and  of  hcathcnifm  at  this  period.  Fifty 
years  afterwards,  Jerome  reprefenis  the  decline  of 
pajranifm  in  lanp,uage  which  convey;  the  fame  idea 
of  iis  approacliing  extinction  :  *  Solitudincm  patitur 
'  et  in  nrbe  gentilitas.     Dii  fjuondam  nntionum,  cum 

*  bubonibus  ct  no(ftuis,  in  folis  cuhniiiibus  rcmanfe- 

*  runt*.*  Jerome  here  indulges  a  triumph,  natural 
nnd  allowable  in  a  zealous  friend  of  the  caufe,  but 
which  could  only  be  fuggeficd  to  his  mind  by  the 
confcnt  and  univerfility  with  which  he  faw  the  reli- 
gion received.  '  But  now  (fays  hej  the  pafiion  and 
'  rcfurrcftion  of  Chrift    are   celebrated  in   the  dif- 

*  courfes  and  writin:;s  of  all  nations.  I  need  not 
'  mention  Jews,  Greeks  and  Latins.  The  Indians, 
'  PerHan?,  Goths  and  Egyptians,  philofophife  and 
'  firmly  believe  the  immortality  of  the  foul  and  fu- 

*  ture   recompenccs,    which,    before,    the    greatcll 

*  philofophers  had  denied,  or  doubted  of,  or  per- 
'  plexed    with    their   difputes.      Thf    ficrccnefs    of 

*  Thracians  and  Scythians  is  now  foftened  by  the 

*  gentle  found  of  the  gofpel  ;  and  every  where  Chrilt 

*  is  all  in  all-j-.*  Were  r'ncrrfore  the  motives  of 
Conflantine's  converfion  ever  fo  problematical,  the 
eafy  eflab'ifliment  of  Chriflianiry,  and  the  rnin  of 
liearhenifm  under  him  anvl  hib  immediate  fucctdlors, 
is  of  itfelf  a  proof  of  the  progrefs  which  Chrillianity 
had  made  in  the  preceding  period.  It  may  be  added 
alf),  '  that  Maxenrius,  the  rival  of  Conltantine,  had 

*  fliown  himfelf  friendly  to  the  Chriflians.     Thcre- 

*  fore,  of  thofe  who  were  contending  for  worhlly 

*  pciwer  and  empire,  one  a^ually  tavoiir^d  and  flat- 

*  tered  them,  and  another  may  be  fufj^e^f^ed  to  have 

*  Jer.  ad  Lc^.  cp.  57.  f  J.-r.  en.  ?.  ad  Helicd. 

*  joined 


34<5  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  joined  himfelf  to  them,  partly  from  confideration 

*  of  interefl: ;  fo  confiderable  were  they  become  under 

*  external  difadvaniages  of  all  forts*.'  This  at  lead 
is  certain,  that  throughout  the  whole  iranfaftion  hi- 
therto, the  great  feemed  to  follow,  not  to  lead,  the 
public  opinion. 

It  may  help  to  convey  to  us  fome  notion  of  the 
extent  and  progrefs  of  Chrillianity,  or  r;uher  of  the 
character  and  quality  of  many  early  Chriitians,  of 
their  learning  and  their  labours,  to  notice  the  num- 
ber of  Chriftian  wriiers  who  fiourifhed  in  thefe  ages. 
St  Jerome's  catalogue  com2\-?.s  fixty-fix  writers  with- 
in the  three  firft  centuries,  and  the  fix  firft  years  of 
the  fourth  ;  z^d  Jifty-foiir  between  that  time  and  his 
own,  viz.  A.  D.  392.  Jerome  introduces  his  cata- 
logue with  the  following  julf  remonflrance  : — '  Let 

*  thofe,  who  fay  the  church  has  had  no  philofophers, 

*  nor  eloquent  and  learned  men,  obferve  who  and 
'  what    they  were,  who   founded,  eftabhfhed,    and 

*  adorned  it ;  let  them  ceafe  to  accufe  our  faith  of 
'  ruilicity,  and  confefs  their  mi(take|.'  Of  thefe  wri- 
ters, feveral,  as  Juflin,  Iren^eus,  Clement  of  Alex- 
andria, Tertullian,  Origen,  Bardefanes,  Hippolitus, 
Eufebius,  wei:c  voluminous  writers.  Chriftian  wri- 
ters abounded  particularly  about  the  year  178. 
Alexander,  Bifliop  of  Jcrufalera,  foundecj  a  library 
in  that  city  A.  D.  212.  Pamphilus,  the  friend  of 
Origen,  founded  a  library  at  Cefarea  A.  D.  294. 
Public  defences  were  alfo  fet  forth,  by  various  ad- 
vocates of  the  religion,  in  the  courfe  of  its  three  firft 
centuries.  Within  one  hundred  years  after  Chrift's 
afcenfion,  C>iiadratus  and  Ariftides,  whofe  works, 
except  fome  few  fragments  of  the  firft,  are  loft  ;  and 

*   Lardner,  Vol.  VII.  p.  380. 
f  Jer.  Prol.  in  lib.  de  fer.  ecc. 

about 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  347 

about  twenty  years  afterwards,  Juftin  Martyr,  whofe 
works  remain,  prefentcd  apologies  for  the  Chriflian 
reliirion  to  the  Roman  emperors  ;  Quadratus  and 
Ariftides  to  Adrian,  Juflin  to  Antoninus  Pius,  and  a 
fecond  to  Marcus  Antoninus.  Mclito,  Bifhop  of 
Sardis,  and  Apollinaris,  Bifliop  of  Hierapolis,  and 
Miltiades,  men  of  great  reputation,  did  the  fame  to 
Marcus  Antoninus  twenty  years  afterwards*  :  and 
ten  years  afier  this,  Apollonius,  who  fuflered  mar- 
tyrdom under  the  emperor  Commodus,  compofed 
an  apology  for  his  faith,  which  he  read  in  the  fenate, 
and  which  was  afterwards  publifhed  |-.  Fourteen 
years  after  the  apology  of  Apollonius,  Tertullian 
addrefTcd  the  work,  which  now  remains  under  that 
name,  to  the  governors  of  provinces  in  the  Roman 
empire;  and,  about  the  fame  time,  Mlnucius  Felix 
compofed  a  defence  of  the  Chriftian  religion,  which 
is  ftill  extant ;  and,  fliortly  after  the  conclufion  of 
this  century,  copious  defences  of  Chriftianity  wgre 
publiflied  by  Arnobius  and  La^tantius. 


*  Eufeb.  Hift.  1.  iv.  c.  26.     See  alfo  Lardner,  Vol.  II. 
p.  666. 

t  Lard.  Vol.  II.  p.  687. 


SECT. 


348  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

SECT.    II. 

Refie6liom  upon  the  preceding  Account. 


JLN  viewing  the  progrefs  of  Chriftianiry, 
our  firft  attention  is  due  to  the  number  of  converts 
at  Jerufaleni,  immediately  after  its  founder's  death  ; 
becaufe  this  fuccefs  was  a  fuccefs  at  the  time^  and 
upon  xhcfpot,  when  and  where  the  chief  part  of  the 
hiflory  had  been  tranfa^ted. 

We  are,  in  the  next  place,  called  upon  to  attend 
to  the  early  eftablilhment  of  numerous  Chriilian  fo- 
cieties  in  Judea  and  Galilee,  which  countries  had 
been  the  fcene  of  Chrift^'s  miracles  and  miniftry,  and 
"where  the  memory  of  what  had  pafTed,  and  the 
knowledge  of  what  was  alleged,  mud  have  yet  been 
frefli  and  certain. 

We  are,  thirdly,  invited  to  recolleft  the  fuccefs 
of  the  apoftles  and  of  their  companions,  at  the  fe- 
veral  places  to  which  they  came,  both  within  and 
without  Judea ;  becaufe  it  was  the  credit  given  to 
original  witneffes,  appealing  for  the  truth  of  their 
accounts  to  what  themfelves  had  feen  and  heard. 
The  efFe(5t  alfo  of  their  preaching,  ftrongly  confirms 
the  truth  of  what  our  hiftory  poiitively  and  circum- 
flantially  relates,  that  they  were  able  to  exhibit  to 
their  hearers  fupernatural  atteftations  of  their  mif- 
fion. 

We  are,  laftly,  to  confider  \ht  fubfequent  growth 
and  fprcad  of  the  religion,  of  which  we  receive  fuc- 
cefTive  intimations,  and  fatisfa61ory,  though  general 
and  occafjonal,  accounts,  until  its  full  and  final 
effablifhment. 

In 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  349 

In  all  thcfc  feveral  (lages,  the  hiftory  is  without  a 
parallel ;  for  it  mud  be  obfervccl,  that  we  have  not 
now  been  tracing  the  progrcfs,  and  defcribini;  the 
prevalency,  of  an  opinion,  founded  upon  philofo- 
phical  or  critical  arguments,  upon  mere  deductions 
of  rcafon,  or  the  conllru^tion  of  ancient  writings, 
(of  which  kind  are  the  feveral  theories  which  have, 
at  dilTcrent  times,  gained  poiTefTion  of  the  public 
mind  in  various  departments  of  fcience  and  literature; 
and  of  one  or  other  of  which  kind  are  the  tenets  alfo 
which  divide  the  various  fe(5ls  of  Chriflianity)  ;  but 
that  we  fpeak  of  a  fyllcm,  the  very  ba(i:i  and  poltu- 
latum  of  which,  was  a  fupernatural  charafler  afcribed 
to  a  particular  perfon  ;  of  a  do*51rine,  the  truth 
whereof  depended  entirely  upon  the  truth  of  a  mat- 
ter of  faft  then  recent.  '  To  eifablilh  a  newrelio^ion, 
'  even  amongft  a  tew  people,  or  in  one  fmgle  nation, 
'  is  a  thing  in  itfelf  exceedingly  diificult.     To  reform 

*  forae  corruptions  which  may  have  fpread  in  a  reli- 
'  gion,  or  to  make  new  regulations  in  it,  is  not  per- 
'  haps  fo  hard,  when  the  main  and  principal  parts 

*  of  that  religion  are  preferved  entire  and  unfhakcn  ; 
'  and  yet  this  very  often  cannot  be  accomplifhed, 
'  without  an  extraordinary  concurrence  of  circum- 
'  (lances,  and  may  be   attempted  a  thoufand  times 

*  without  fuccefs.     But  to  introduce  a  new  faith,  a 

*  new  way  of  thinking  and  acting,  and  to  perfuade 
'  many  nations  to  quit  the  religion  in  which  their 
'  anceftors  had  lived  and  died,  which  had  been  deli- 
'  vered    down  to  them  from  time   immemorial,    to 

*  make  them  forfake  and  defpife  the  deities  which 
'  they  had  been  accullomed  to  reverence  and  wor- 
'  fliip  ;  this  is  a  work  of  Piiil  greater  difficulty  *.  The 
'  refinance  of  education,  worldly  policy,  and  fuper- 

*  ihtion,  is  almoft  invincible.' 

*   Jortin's  Dif.  on  the  Chi  id.  Rcl  p.  107.  eJ.  IV. 

If 


JSo  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

If  men.  in  thefe  days,  be  Chriftians  in  confequence 
of  their  education,  in  fubmiffion  to  authority,  or  in 
compliance  with  falhion,  let  us  recolle^l  that  it  was 
not  fo  from  the  beginning.  The  firfl  race  of  Chrif- 
tians, as  well  as  millions  who  fucceeded  them,  be- 
came fuch  in  formal  oppofition  to  all  thefe  motives, 
to  the  whole  power  and  llrength  of  this  influence. 
Every  argument  therefore,  and  every-, inftance,  which 
fets  forth  the  prejudice  of  education,  and  the  almoft 
irrefifl:ible  eifcc^s  of  that  prejudice  (and  no  perfons 
are  more  fond  of  expatiating  upon  this  fubjeft  than 
deiftical  writers)  in  fact  confirms  the  evidence  of 
Chriftianity. 

But,  in  order  to  judge  of  the  argument  which  is 
drawn  from  the  early  propagation  of  Chriftianity,  I 
know  no  fairer  way  of  proceeding,  than  to  compare 
what  we  have  feen  of  the  fubjeft,  with  the  fuccefs 
of  Chriftian  miffions  in  modern  ages.  In  the  Eaft- 
India  million,  fupported  by  the  fociety  for  promoting 
Chriflian  knowledge,  we  hear  fometimes  of  thirty, 
fometimes  of  forty,  being  baptized  in  the  courfe  of 
a  year,  and  thefe  principally  children.  Of  converts 
properly  fo  called,  that  is,  of  adults  voluntarily  em- 
bracing Chriflianity,  the  number  is  extremely  froall. 
'  Notwithftanding  the  labour  of  mifiionaries  for  up- 
'  wards  of  two  hundred  years,  and  the  eilabliflimenis 
'  of  different  Chriflian  nations  who  fupport  them, 
'  there  are  not  twelve  thoufand  Indian  Chrillians, 
'  and  thofe  almoft  entirely  outcafts*.' 

I  lament,  as  much  as  any  man,  the  little  progrefs 
which  Chriftianity  has  made  in  thefe  countries,  and 
the  inconfiderable  effeft  that  has  followed  the  la- 
bours of  its  raillionaries ,  but   I  fee  in  it  a  ftrong 

*  Sketches  relating  to  the  hiftory,  learning,  and  manners 
of  the  Hindoos,  p.  48.  quoted  by  Dr.  Robertfon,  Hlft.  Dif. 
concerning  ancient  Indis,  p,  236. 

proof 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  351 

proof  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  religion.  What 
had  the  apo'lles  to  affill  I'lem  in  nr  )pagating  Chrif- 
tianity,  wliich  the  millionariL-s  have  not  ?  If  piety 
and  zeal  had  hecn  lufficient,  I  doubt  not  hut  that 
our  miilionaries  pofTefs  thefe  qualities  in  a  high  de- 
gree, for  nothing,  except  i:)icty  and  zeal,  couL*  en- 
gage them  in  the  undertakinij;.  If  fanftity  o^  life 
and  manners  was  the  allurement,  the  conduct  of 
thefe  men  is  unhlameable.  If  the  advantage  of  edu- 
cation and  learning  be  looked  to,  there  is  not  one 
of  the  modern  miilionaries,  who  is  not,  in  this  re- 
fpeft,  fiipcrior  to  all  the  apoftles ;  and  ihar  not  only 
abfolutely,  but,  what  is  of  more  importance,  rela- 
ikwly,  in  comparifon,  that  is,  with  tiiofr  amongd 
wliom  they  exercife  their  office.  If  the  intrinfic  ex- 
cellency of  the  religion,  the  perfeftion  o\  its  mora- 
lity, the  purity  of  its  precepts,  the  eloquence  or  ten- 
dernefs  or  fublimity  of  various  parts  of  its  writino-s, 
were  the  recommendations  by  which  it  made  its  way^ 
thefe  remain  the  fame.  If  the  charafter  and  circum- 
Itances,  under  which  the  preachers  were  introduced 
to  the  countries  in  which  they  taught,  be  accounted 
of  importance,  this  advantage  is  all  on  the  fide  of 
the  modern  mjffionaries.  They  come  from  a  coun- 
try and  a  people,  to  which  the  Indian  world  look 
up  with  fentiments  of  deference.  The  apoflles  came 
forth  amongft  the  Gentiles  under  no  other  name 
than  that  of  Jews,  which  was  precifely  the  charafti.  r 
they  dcfpifcd  and  derided.  If  it  be  difj^raceful  in 
India  to  become  a  Chriftian,  it  could  rn^t  be  much 
lefs  fo  to  be  enrolled  amongft  thofe,  '  quos  per  fla^-i- 
*  tia  invifos,  vulgus  Chriftianos  appellabat.'  If  the 
religion  which  they  had  to  encounter  be  confidered, 
the  difference,  I  apprehend,  will  not  be  great.  The 
theology  of  both  \v:\s  nearly  the  fame,  *  what  is  fup- 
'  pofed  to  be  performed  by  the  power  of  Jupiter, 
'  of  Neptune,  of  iEolus,  of  Mars,  of  Vcnu?,  accord-^ 

iucr 


352  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  ing  to  the  mythology  of  the  weft,  is  afcribed,  in 
'  the  eaft,  to  the  agency  of  Agrio,  the  god  of  fire, 
'  Varoon,  the  god  of  oceans,  Vayoo,  the  god  oiF 
'  win^,  Cama,  the  god  of  love*.'  The  facred  rites 
of  the  weftern  polytheifm  were  gay,  feftive,  and  li- 
centious ;  the  rites  of  the  public  religion  in  the  eaft 
partake  of  the  fame  character,  with  a  more  avowed 
indecency.  '  In  every  function  performed  in  the 
*  pagodas,  as  well  as  in  every  public  proceffion,  it 
'  is  the  office  of  thefe  women  (/.  e.  of  women  pre- 
'  pared  by  the  Brahmins  for  the  piirpofe)  to  dance 
'  before  the  idols,  and  to  fmg  hymns  in  his  praife  ; 
'  and  it  is  difHcuk  to  fay,  whether  they  trefpafs  moft 
'  againft  decency  by  the  geftures  they  exhibit,  or 
'  by  the  verfes  which  they  recite.  The  walls  of  the 
'  pagodas  v/ere  covered  with  paintings  in  a  ftyle  no 
'  lefs  indelicatej-  J.* 

On  both  fides  of  the  comparifon  the  popular  reli- 
j^ion  had  a  ftrong  eftabliftiment.  In  ancient  Greece 
and  Rome  it  was  ftriclly  incorporated  with  the  ftate. 
The  magiftrate  was  the  prieft.  The  higheft  offices 
of  governmeac  bore  the  moft  diftinguiflied  part  in 
the  celebration  of  the  public  rites.  In  India,  a  pow- 
erful and  numerous  eaft  pofiTcfs  exclufively  the  admi- 
niftration  of  the  eftabliftied  worfliip ;  and  are,  of 
confequence,  devoted  to  its  fervice,  and  attached  to 
its  intcreft.  In  both,  the  prevailing  mythology  was 
deftitue  of  any  proper  evidence,  or  rather,  in  both 
the  origin  of  the  tradition  is  run  up  into  ages,  long 

*  Baghvat  Geeta,  p.  94,  quoted  by  Dr.  Robertfon.  Ind. 
Dif.  p.  306. 

f  Others  of  the  deities  of  the  Eaft  are  of  an  auftere  and 
gloomy  chara(fter,  to  be  propitiated  by  vi^5linis,  fometimes  by 
human  facrinces,  and  by  voluntary  torments  of  the  moft  excru- 
ciating kind, 

X  Voyage  de  Gentil.  Vol.  I.  p.  244 — ^260.  Preface  to  Code 
©f  Gentoo  Laws,  p,  57,  quoted  by  Dr.  Robertfon,  p.  320. 

I  anterior 


EVIDENCES  OF.Cj^RISTIANITY.  353 

aDterior  to  the  e.^ilK-nce  of  credihle-  hiftory,  or  of 
written  language.  The  Indian  chronology  cQm;nitt.s 
asriis  by  miili.?ns  of  yera-s,  and  the  life  of  man  by 
.ihoufands*  ;  and  in  thcfe,  or  prior  to  ihefe,  is  placed 
the  hillory  of  their  divinities.  In  both,  the  efta- 
ibliflied  fuperftition  held  the  fame  place  in  tlje  public 
opinion;  that  ;s  to  lav,  in  both  it  was  credited  by 
the  bulk  of  the  peoplef,  but  by  the  learned  and 
phil'jfophic  part  qf  the  community,  cither  derided, 

*  *  The  SufFcc  Joc:ue,  or  age  of  purity,    is  faiJ  to  have 

*  lalled  three  millions  tv,-o  huudreil  thoafand  years,  and  they 

*  holjJ  ttrat  the  Hie  of  m:in  was  extended  in  that  age  to  one  hun- 

*  died  thou  and  yt-ars ;  but  yhere  is  a  diff.n-ence  amongll  the 

*  Indian  writers  of  fix  millions  of  years  in  the  computation  of 
'  thisfera.'     lb. '  '     '  "  '  "  •    . 

f  ♦  How  abfurd  foevcr  the  articles  of  fa'th  may  be,  which 

*  fupsrAitioa  has  adopted,  or  hnw  unhallowed  the  rites  which  it. 
'  prefcribes,  the  lormer  are  received,  in  every  age  and  country, 

*  with  unhefitating  alfent,  by  the  great  body  of  the  people,  and 

*  the  latter  obferved  with  fcrupulous  exadtnefs.     In  our  reafon- 

*  ings  concerning  opinions  and  pra«5tices,  which  difTtjr  widely 

*  from  our  own,  we  are  extremely  apt  to  err.     Having  been 
,  *  inil;ru,ited  ourfelvcs  in  the  principles  of  a  religion,  worthy,  in 

*  every  refpeift,  of  that  divine  wifJomby  which  they  were  dic- 

*  tated,  we  frequently  exprefs  wonder  at  the  credulity  of  na- 

*  til  ns,  in  embracing  fyftems  of  belief  which  appear  to  us  fo 

*  direftly  repugnant  to  right  reafon  ;  and  fometimes  fufpec^^, 

*  that  tenets  fo  wild  and  extravagant  do  not  really  gain  credit 
*^w;ith  them.     But  experience  may  fatisfy  us,  that  neither  our 

*  wonder  nor  fufpicions  are  well  f)unded.     No  article  of  the 
'  public  religion  was  call£;d  in  quedion  by  thofe  people  of  ah- 

*  cient  Europe,  with  whofc  hjilory  wc  are  belt  acquainted  ;  and 

*  no  practice,  which  it  enjoined,  appe.ircd  improper  to  them. 

*  On  the  other  hand,  every  opinion  that  tended  to  dimirilh  the 

*  reverence  of  men  for  the  gods  of  their  country,  or  to  alienate 

*  them  from  their  worfhip,    excited,  amou::  the  Greeks  and 

*  Romans,  that  Indignant  zeal,  wliich  is  natural  to  every  peb- 

*  ^le  attached  to  t)teir  religioil  by  a  firm  pcrfiiafion  of  its  truth* 
Ind.  t)if.  p.  32 J.  .,.-..,.. 

A  a  or 


354  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

or  regarded  by  them  as  only  fit  to  be  upholden  for 
the  fake  of  Its  political  ufes*. 

Or  if  it  fhould  be  allowed,  that  the  ancient  hea- 
thens believed  in  their  religion  lefs  generally  than 
the  prefent  Indians  do,  I  am  far  from  thinking  that 
this  circumftance  would  afford  any  facility  to  the 
work  of  the  apoftles,  above  that  of  modern  miffion- 
arics.  To  me  it  appears,  and  I  think  it  material  to 
be  remarked,  that  a  difbelief  of  the  eftablifhed  reli- 
gion of  their  country  (1  do  not  mean  a  reje£i:ion  of 
fome  of  its  articles,  but  a  radical  difbelief  of  the 
whole)  has  no  tendency  to  difpofe  men  for  the  re- 
ception of  another ;  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  it 
generates  a  fettled  contempt  of  all  religious  preten- 
fions  whatever.  General  infidelity  is  the  hardeft  foil 
which  the  propagators  of  a  new  religion  can  have 
to  work  upon.  Could  a  methodift  or  moravian  pro- 
mife  hitr.ff  If  a  better  chance  of  fuccefs  with  a  French 
efprit  fort,  who  had  been  accuflomed  to  laugh  at 
the  popery  of  his  country,  than  with  a  believing 
Mahometan  or  Hindoo  ?  Or  are  our  modern  unbe- 
lievers in  Chriftianity,  for  that  reafon,  in  danger  of 
becomin:^  Mahometans  or  Hindoos  ?  It  does  not 
appear  that  the  Jews,  who  had  a  body  of  hiftorical 
evidence  to  offer  for  their  religion,  and  who  at  that 
time  undoubtedly  entertained  and  held  forth  the  ex- 
peftiition  of  a  future  ftate,  derived  any  great  advan- 
tage, as  to  the  extenfion  of  their  fyftem,  from  the 
difcredit  into  which  the  popular  religion  had  fallen 
with  many  of  their  heathen  neighbours. 

*  That  the  learned  Brahmins  of  the  Eafl:  are  rational  theifts, 
and  fecretly  reject  the  eftablilhed  theory,  and  contemn  the  rites 
th  it  were  IbundeJ  upon  them,  or  rather  confider  them  as  con- 
trivanccj  to  h.  iupported  for  their  political  ufes,  fee  Dr.  Ro- 
bertfon's  Ind.  Dif.  p.  324 — 334. 

We 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  35^ 

We  have  parricularly  clirctTted  our  obfervations  to 
the  ftate  and  pnMiirels  of  Clirillianity  ainoiiiTft  the 
inhabitanf?  of  India;  but  the  hiftory  of  ihe  Chrillian 
mifhon  in  other  countries,  where  the  efficacy  of  tlic 
million  is  left  foleiy  to  the  conviction  wrought  by 
the  preaching  of  ftrangers,  prcfcnts  the  fame  idea, 
as  the  Indian  miflion  does  of  the  fceblcncfs  and  in- 
adequacy of  human  means  About  twenty-five  years 
afTQ,  was  publifhed  in  England,  a  tranilation  from 
the  Dutch  of  a  hiltory  of  Greenland,  and  a  relation 
of  the  miffion,  for  above  thirty  years  carried  on  in 
that  country,  by  the  Unitas  Fratrum,  or  Moravians. 
Every  part  of  that  relation  confirms  the  opinion  we 
have  dated.  Nothing  could  furpafs,  or  hardly 
equal,  the  zeal  and  patience  of  the  milTionarics. 
Yet  their  hiflorian,  in  the  conclufion  of  his  narra- 
tive, could  find  place  for  no  refle(Stions  more  encou- 
raging than  the  following : — '  A  perfon  that  had 
'  known  the  heathen,  that  had  feen  the  little 
'  benefit  from  the  great  pains  hitherto  taken  with 
'  them,  and  confidered  that  one  after  another  had 
'  abandoned  all  hopes  of  the  converfion  of  thofe  in- 
'  fidels  (and  fome  thought  they  would  never  be  con- 
'  verted,    till  they  faw  miracles  wrought  as  in  the 

*  npoRles  days,  and  this  the  Grcenlanders  expcsfted 
'  and  demanded  of  their  in(lru£lors):  one  that  con- 
'  fidcred  this,  I  fiiy,  would  not  fo  much  wonder  at 

*  the  pad  unfruitfulnefs  of  thefe  young  beginners,  as 
'  at  their  ffeadfaft  perfeverance  in  the  midd  of  no- 

*  thing  but  dillrefs,  difficulties  and  impediments,  in- 
'  tcrnally  and  externally  :  and  that  they  never  def- 
'  ponded  of  the  converfion  of  thofe  poor  creatures 
'■  amidft  all  feeming  impoffibilities*.* 

*  Hift.  of  Greenland,  Vol.  II.  p.  376. 

A  a  2  From 


From  tHe  widely  difproponionate  'effd^s,  "v<rhicfe 
■^tten'dthe  preaching  of  modern 'miffidnarics  of  Chrif- 
tianity,  compared  with  what  followed  the  rniniftfy 
'^f  Chri'ft  and  his  apoftlcs,  under  circu-mftances  cither 
alike,  or  not  fo  unlike  as  to  account  for  thedrfFer- 
'ence,  a  conclufioti  is  fairly  drawn,  in  fupport  of  what 
'cjur'hiftories  deliver  concerning  them,  that  they  p6f- 
felTed  mdans  of  convi£lion,  which  we  have  not ;  thlt 
they  had  proofs  to  appeal  to,  which  we  waitt. 


SECT.    III. 


'1.  ttE'bnIy'event  in  the  bMory*  6f '  the 
human  fpecies,  which  admits  of  conrparifon  with  the 
propagation  of  Chriftianity,  is  the  fuccefs  of  Mafeo- 
metanifm.  The  Mahometan  inftitution  was  rapid 
in  its  progrefs,  was  recent  in  its  hiftory,  and  was 
founded  upon  a  fupernattiral  or  prophetic  character 
aflumed  by  its  amhor.  In  thefe  articles  the  refem- 
blance  v/ith  Chriftianity  is  confefTed.  But  there  are 
points  of'difference.  Which  feparate,  we  appreheiid, 
the  two  cafes  entirely. 

I.  Mahomet  did  not  found  his  pretenlions  upon 
miracles,  properly  fo  called  ;  that  is,  upon  probfs  of 
fupernatural  agency,  capable  of  being  known  and 
attefted  by  others.  Chriftians  are  warranted  in  this 
aflertion  by  the  evidence  of  the  Koran,  in  which 
Mahomet  cot  only  does  not  aifed  the  power  of 
working  miracles,  but  exprefsly  difclaims  it.     The 

following 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  357 

follpwing  paff^ges  of  that  book  fiirnifli  direfl  proofs. 
oi'  the  truih  ofwlvat  we  allege :—'  The  infidel's  fay, 
'  unlefs  a  fi;^n  be  feiif  down  unto  him  from  his  lord, 

*  we  will  not  believe;  thou  art  a  preacher  only *.' 
Again,  *  nothing  hindered  us  from  fending  fhfe 
'  with  miracles,  except  that  the  former  nations  have. 

*  charged  them  with  impofturef.'     And  laftly,  '  they 

<  fay,  unlefs  a  fign  be  fent  down  unto  him  from  hi^ 

<  lord,  we  will  not  believe ;  anfwer,  figns  are  in  the 

*  power  of  God  alone,  apd  I  am  no  more  than  a 
'  public   preacher.     Is   it  not  fufficient  for   them, 

*  that  we  have  fent  down  unto  them  the  book  of 

*  the  Koran,  to  be  read  unto  thcmj.'  Befidc  thefe 
acknowledgaicnts,  I  have  obferved  ijnrteen  diftin^ 
places,  in  which  Mahomet  puts  the  objeftion  (unlefs 
a  fign,  Zcc^  inio  the  mouth  of  the.  unbeliever,  in  noL 
one  of  which  does  he  allege  a  miracle  in  reply.  His 
anfwer  is,  «  that  God  giveih  the  power  of  working 

*  miracles  when,  and  to  whom,  be  pleafeih§  ;'  '  that 

*  if  he  fliould  work  miracles.,  they  would  not  be- 
'  lieve  II  ;*  '  that  they  had  before  rejefted  Mofes  and 
'  Jefus  and  the  prophets,  who  wrought  miracles^;* 

*  that  the  Koran  itfelf  was  a  miracle**.* 

The  only  place  in  the  Koran,  in  which  it  can  be 
pretended  that  a  fenfible  miracle  is  referred  to  (for  I 
do  not  allow  the  fecret  vifitations  of  Gabriel,  the 
night  journey  of  Mahomet  to  heaven,  or  the  prefence 
in  bE^ttle  of  invifible  holts  of  angels,  to  deferve  the 
nam<»  ai  fenfihle  miracles)  is  the  beginning  of  the 
fifty.founh  chapter.  The  words  are  thefe — '  The 
'  hour  of  judgment  approachcth,  and  the  moon  hath 

*  becnfplit  injiuidcr,  but  if  the  unbelievers  fee  a  fign, 

*  they  turn  afide,  faying,  tliis  is  a  powerful  charm.' 

*  Sale's  Koran,  c.  xiji.  p.  201.  Ed.  quarto. 

t  C.  xvJi.  p.   232.  X   lb.  .  xxix.  p.  328. 

\  C.  V.  X.  xiii.  twice.  II  C.  vi. 

«J   C.  i-ii.  >xi.  xxvili.  **   C.  xvi, 

A  a  3  The 


358  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

The  Mahometan  cxpofitors  difagree  in  their  inter- 
pretation of  this  paflage  ;  fome  explaining  it  to  be  a 
mention  of  the  fpHtting  of  the  moon,  as  one  of  the 
future  figiis  of  the  approach  of  the  day  of  judgment ; 
others  referring  it  to  a  miraculous  appearance  which 
had  then  taken  place*.  It  feems  to  me  not  impro- 
bable, that  Mahomet  may  have  taken  advantage  of 
fome  extraordinary  halo,  or  other  unufual  appear- 
ance of  the  moon,  which  had  happened  about  this 
time  ;  and  which  fupplied  a  foundation  both  for  this 
paflage,  and  for  the  (lory  which  in  after  times  had 
been  raifed  out  of  it. 

After  this  more  than  filence ;  after  thefe  authentic 
coiifejfions  of  the  Koran,  we  are  not  to  be  moved 
with  miraculous  flories  related  of  Mahomet  by  Abul- 
feda,  who  wrote  his  life  above  fix  hundred  years 
after  his  death,  or  which  are  found  in  the  legend  of 
Al  Jannabi,  who  came  two  hundred  years  later |. 

On  the  contrary,  from  comparing  what  Mahomet 
himfelf  wrote  and  faid,  M'lth  what  was  afterwards 
reported  of  him  by  his  followers,  the  plain  and  fair 
conclufion  is,  that,  when  the  religion  was  eflabliflied 
by  conqueft,  then,  and  not  till  then,  came  out  the 
ftories  of  his  miracles. 

Now  this  difference  alone  conflitutes,  in  my  opi- 
riion,  a  bar  to  all  reafoning  from  one  cafe  to  the 
other.  The  fuccefs  of  a  religion  founded  upon  a 
mir^iculous  hiftory,  fhows  the  credit  which  was  given 
to  the  hiftory  ;  and  this  crc4it,  under   the  circum- 

*  Vide  Sale  in  loc. 

f  It  does  not,  I  think,  appear,  that  thefe  hiftorians  had  any- 
written  accounts  to  appeal  to,  nnioie  ancient  than  the  Sonnah, 
whii-h  was  a  colie«5tit  n  (-f  tradition  ,  made  by  crder  of  tlie  Ca- 
liphs, two  hundred  }ears  after  Mahcmet's  .^eath.  Mahomet 
di  d  A.  jJ  6;^2  ;  Al.  Bochari,  one  o;  •  ,v;  fix  d  dors  who  com- 
piled the-  ;'0  '^ah,  -"vas  born  A  D  809,  died  869.  Prideaux's 
Life  of  MahomcL,  p.  192,  ed.  7th. 

fiances 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  359 

il:anccs  in  which  it  was  given,  /.  e.  by  perfons  ciuili- 
ble  of  knowing  the  truth,  and  intcrclted  to  enquire 
after  it,  is  evidence  of  the  reality  of  the  hiftory,  and, 
by  confequence,  of  the  truth  of  the  religion.  Where 
■a  miraculous  hiftory  is  not  alleged,  no  part  of  this 
argument  can  be  applied.  We  admit,  that  multi- 
tudes acknowledc^cd  the  pretenfions  of  Mahomet ; 
but  ihefe  pretenfions  being  deftitute  of  miraculous 
evidence,  we  know  that  the  grounds  upon  which 
they  were  acknowledged,  could  not  he  fecure  grounds 
of  perfuafion  to  his  followers,  nor  their  example  any 
authority  to  us.  Admit  the  whole  of  Mahomet's 
authentic  hiftory,  fo  far  as  it  was  of  a  nature  capable 
of  being  known  or  witneffed  by  others,  to  be  true, 
(which  is  certainly  to  admit  all  that  tlie  reception  of 
the  religion  can  be  brought  to  prove),  and  Islaho- 
met  might  ftill  be  an  impoftor,  or  enthufiaft,  or  an 
union  of  both.  Admit  to  be  true  almoft  any  part  of 
thrift's  hiftory,  of  that,  I  mean,  which  was  public, 
and  within  the  cognizance  of  his  followers,  and  he 
rauft  have  come  from  God.  Where  matter  of  faft 
is  not  in  queftion,  where  miracles  are  not  alleged,  I 
do  not  fee  that  the  progrefs  of  a  religion  is  a  better 
argument  of  its  truth,  than  the  prcvalency  of  any 
fyftem  of  opinions  in  natural  religion,  morality,  or 
phyfics,  is  a  proof  of  the  truth  of  thofe  opinion?. 
And  we  know  that  this  fort  of  ar.:^u:nent  is  inadmif- 
lible  in  any  branch  of  philofophy  whatever. 

But  it  will  be  faid,  if  one  religion  could  make  its 
way  without  miracles,  why  might  not  another  ?  To 
which  I  reply,  firft,  that  this  is  not  the  queftion  :  the 
proper  queftion  is  nor,  whether  a  religious  inftitu- 
tion  could  be  fet  up  without  miracles,  but  whether  a 
religion,  or  a  change  of  religion,  founding  itfelf  in 
miracles,  could  fucceed  without  any  reality  to  reft 
upon.  I  apprehend  thefe  two  cafes  to'  be  very  dif- 
ferent ;  and  I  apprehend  Mahomet's  not  taking  this 

A  a  4  courfe. 


2^6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

conrfe,  to  be  one  proof  amorigft  others,  that  the  thing, 
is  difiirult,  if  x\vx  impolTihle,  to  be  accoiripliflii  d:  cer- 
tainly it  was  not  from  an  iiricohfcioufnef^.  o*^  the  vaind 
and  importance  of  mirarulous  evi  !ence,  for  it  is  very 
obfervable,  that  in  the  farrie  volume,  and  fbnietinies 
in  the  fiine  chapters,  in  which  Mahomet  fo  rei  eat- 
cd!y  difclaims  the  power  of  working  miracles  himfeif, 
he  is  incelTantly  referring  to  the  miracles  of  preceding 
prophets.  One  v.ould  imagine,  to  hear  fome  men 
talk,  or  to  read  fome  books,  that  the  fetting  uo  of  a 
religion,  by  dint  of  miraculouij  pretences,  v.'as  a  thing 
of  every  day's  experience;  whereas,  1  believe,  that, 
except  the  Jevv'ifii  and  ChriRian  religion,  there  is  no 
tolerably  well  authenticated  account  of  anyfuch  thing 
having  been  accompliilied. 

II.  Secondly,  the  cflablifliment  of  Mahomet's 
religion  was  effed^ed  by  eaufes,  which,  in  no  degree, 
a'ppertained  to  rhe  origin  of  Chriftianity. 

During  the  firli  twelve  years  of  his  miffion.  Ma'-* 
homet  had  recourfe  only  to  perfuafion.  This  is 
allowed.  And  there  is  fufficieni  reafon  from  the 
eftefi:  to  believe,  that  if  he  had  confined  himfeif  to 
this  mode  of  propagating  his  religion,  we  of  the 
prefent  day  (liould  never  have  heard  either  of  him 
or  ir.  '  Three  years  were  filently  employed  in  the 
converfion  of  fourteen  profelytes'.  For  ten  years 
the  religii.-n  advanced  with  a  flow  and  painful  progrcfs 
vvithin  the  vv'alls  of  Mecca.  The  number  of  profe- 
lytes in  the  feventh  year  of  his  miffion,  may  be 
eifimatcd  by  the  abfence  of  eighty-three  men  and 
eighteen  women,  who  retired  to  ^Ethiopia*.  Yet 
this  progrefs,  fuch  as  it  was,  appears  to  have  beeti 
aided  by  feme  very  important  advantages,  which' 
Mahomet  found  in  his  iituation,  in  his  mode  of  con- 
ducing his  defign,  and  in  his  doftrine. 

*  Gibbcu's  Hrrt:.  Vol.  IX.  p.  244,  ec  feq.  Ed.  Dub. 

I.  Ma- 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  361 

1.  Mahomet  was  the  grandfon  of  the  rhoft:  power- 
ful and  honourable  family  in  Mecca  ;  and  although 
the  early  death  of  his  father  had  not  left  him  a  pa- 
triiTiony  fuirable  to  his  birch,  he  had,  long  before 
the  commencement  of  his  miflion,  repaired  this  defi- 
ciency by  an  opulent  marriage.  A  perfon  confidcr- 
able  by  his  wealth,  of  high  dcfcent,  and  nearly  allied 
to  ihr  chiefs  of  his  country,  taking  upon  hinr<felf  the 
charafter  of  a  reiiginns  teacher,  would  not  fail  of 
attr.i^in^  attention  and  Followers. 

2.  Mahomet  conduced  his  defign,  in  the  outfet 
efpeciahy,  with  Qjreat  art  and  prudence.  He  con- 
dueled  it  as  a  politician  would  condu£l  .a  plot.  His 
firfl:  application  was  to  his  own  family.  This  gained 
him  his  wife's  uncle,  a  confiderable  perfon  in  Mecca, 
together  with  his  coufin  All,  afterwards  the  cele- 
brated Caliph,  then  a  youth  of  great  expeftation, 
and  even  already  diftinguiflied  by  his  attachment, 
impetuofity  and  courage*.  He  next  addreiTcd  him- 
felf  to  Abu  Beer,  a  man  amongft  the  firft  of  the 
Koreifli  In  wealth  and  influence.  The  intercft  and 
example  of  Abu  Beer  drew  in  five  other  principal 
perfons  in  Mecca,  whofe  folicitations  prevailed  upon 
five  more  of  the  faniie  rank.  This  wr.s  the  work  of 
three  years,  during  which  lime  every  thing  was 
tranfaded  in  fecrct.  Upon  the  (Irength  of  thefe 
allies,  and  under  the  powerful  protection  of  his 
family,  who,  however  fome  of  them  might  difap- 
prove  his  cnterprife,  or  deride  his  pretenfions,  would 

*   Of  which  Mr  Gibbon  has  prcferved  die  following  fpect- 
men : — ♦  When  Mahomet  called  out  in  an  aii'embly  of  his  fa- 

•  mily,  who  among  you  will  be  my  compani<.n,  and  my  vizir  ? 

*  Ali,  then  only  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  his  age,  faddenly 
'  replied,  O  prophet,  I  am  the  man ;  whofoever  rifcs  againll: 

*  thee,  I  will  dalh  out  his  teeth,  tear  out  his  eyes,  break  his 

•  legs,  rip  up  his  belly.     O  prophet,  I  v  ill  be  ihy  vi/,  r  over 
«  them.'     Vol.  IX.  p.  245. 

n£)L 


362  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

not  fuHer  the  orphan  of  their  houfe,  the  relift  ot 
their  favourite  brother,  to  be  infiilted,  Mahomet 
now  comrrenccd  his  public  preaching.  And  the 
advance  which  he  made,  during  the  nine  or  ten  re- 
maining years  of  his  peaceable  niiniftry,  was  by  no 
means  greater  than  what,  with  thefe  advantages,  and 
•with  the  additional  and  fingular  circumflance  of  there 
being  no  cjlabl'ijhcd  religion  at  Mecca,  at  that  time, 
to  contend  with,  might  reafonably  have  been  ex- 
pelled. How  foon  his  primitive  adherents  were  let 
into  the  fecret  of  his  views  of  empire,  or  in  what 
ilage  of  his  undertaking  thefe  views  firil  opened 
themfelves  tO'  his  own  mind,  it  is  not  now  eafy  to 
determine.  Tiie  event  however  was,  that  thefe  his 
firfl  profelytes  all  ultimately  attained  to  riches  and 
honours,  to  the  command  of  armies,  and  the  gc*'ern- 
inent  of  kingdcms*. 

3.  The  Arabs  deduced  their  defcent  from  Abra- 
ham, through  the  line  of  lihmael.  The  inhabitants 
of  Mecca,  in  common  probably  with  the  other  Ara- 
bian tribes,  acknowledged,  as,  1  think,  may  clearly 
be  ccllefted  from  the  Koran,  one  fupreme  deity,  but 
had  aflociated  with  him  many  objects  of  idolatrous 
worfhip.  The  great  do£lrine,  with  which  Mahomet 
let  out,  was  the  ftrift  and  exclufive  unity  of  God. 
Abraham,  he  told  them,  their  illuflricus  ancefior  ; 
Iflimael,  the  father  of  their  nation  ;  Mofes,  the  law- 
giver of  the  Jews  ;  and  Jelus,  the  author  of  Chrif- 
lianity,  had  all  afierted  the  fame  thing ;  that  their 
followers  had  univerfally  corrupted  the  truth,  and 
that  he  was  now  commiiihoned  to  refbore  it  to  the 
world.  Was  it  to  be  wondered  at,  that  a  doftrine 
fo  fpecious,  and  authorifed  by  names,  fome  or  other 
of  which  were  holden  in  the  highefl  veneration,  by 
€very  defcription  of  his  hearers,  ihouldj  in  the  hands 

*  Gib.  Vol.  IX.  p.  244. 

of 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRlSTIANrrY.  363 

of  a  por.ular  mim.jnary,  prcv.iil    ro   the  extr-ir  in 
which  Mill,   mere  luLceedca  by  his  pacifi<.  minilti}  ? 

4.  or  ti.e  inftitution  which  Mnlioinci  joinc.l  v.iih 
this  Vuu«lamt"nt:il  doftnne,  and  of  the  Koran  in  whi'^h 
that  inltitution  is  delivered,  we  difcover,  I  think, 
two  purpofes  that  pervade  the  whole,  viz.  to  make 
converts,  and  to  make  his  converts  foldiers.  Ihe 
followini,^  paniculars,  amongft  others,  may  be  conli- 
dered  as  pretty  evident  indications  of  tlitrfe  defi  jns  : 

I.  When  Mahonu^t  began  to  preach,  his  addrefs 
to  the  Jews,  the  (^hrilHans,  and  to  the  Pagan  Arabs, 
was,  that  the  religion  which  he  taught,  was  no  other 
than  what  had  been  originally  their  own.     '  We  be- 

*  licve  in  God,  and  that  which  hath  been  fent  down 

*  unto  us,  and  that  which  hath  been  fent  down 
^  unto  Abraham,  and  Ifmacl  and  Ifaac,  and  Jacob, 
'  and  the  tii'^es,  and  that  which  was  delivered  unto 
'  Mofes  and  Jtfus,  and  that  which  was  delivered 
«  unto  the  prophets  from  the  lord  ;  we  make  no  dif- 
'  tinaion  between  any  of  them*.'  '  He  hath  or- 
'  dained  you  the  religion  which  lie  commanded  Noah, 
'  and  which  we  have  revealed  unto  thee,  O  Moham- 
«  racd,  and  which  we  commanded  Abraham,  and 
«  Mofes,   and    jcfus,   faying,  obferve    this    religion, 

*  and  be  not  divided  thereiaf.'  '  He  hath  chofcu 
'  you,  and  hath  not  impofed  on  you  any  difficulty  in 
«  the  religion  which  he  hath  given  you,  the  religion 

*  of  your  father  Abraham  +  .' 

2.  The  author  of  the  Koran  never  ce.=ifr:s  from 
dtfcribing  the  future  anguilh  of  unbelievers,  th^  ir 
defpair,  regret,  penitence,  and  torment.  It  is  i  _e 
point  which  he  labours  above  all  others.  And  thde 
defcriptions  are  conceived  in  terms,  whxh  will  appear 
in  no  fmall  degree  impulfive,   even  to  the  modern 

*   Sale's  Koran,  c    li.  p.  17.  f   1'^-  <^-  '^^''-  ^'  393- 

X  lb.  c.  xxii.  p.  281. 

reader 


^•6^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

reader  of  an  Englifli  tranflation.  Doubtlefs  they  would 
operate  with  much  greater  force  upon  the  minds  of 
thofe  to  whom  they  v/ere  immediately  directed.  The 
terror  which  they  feem  well  calculated  to  infpire, 
would  be  to  many  tempers  a^  powerful  application. 

3.  On  the  other  hand,  his  voluptuous  paradife  ; 
his  robes  of  filk,  his  palaces  of  marble,  his  rivers 
and  fl*ades,  his  groves  and  couches,  his  wines,  his 
dainties ;  and,  above  all,  his  feventy-two  virgins  af*- 
figned  to  each  of  the  faithful,  of  refplendent  beauty 
and  eternal  youth;  intoxicated  the  imaginations,  and 
feized  the  pafhons,  of  his  Eaftera  followers. 

4.  But  Pv'Iahoraet's  higheft  heaven,  was  rcferved 
for  thofe  who  fought  his  battles,  or  expended  their 
fortunes  in  his  caufe.  '  Thofe  believers  Vv'ho  fit  (fill 
'  at  home,  not  having  any  hurt,  and  thofe  who  em- 
'  ploy  their  fortunes  and  their  perfons  for  the  reli- 

*  gion  of  God,  fliall  not  be  held  equal.     God  hath 

*  preferred  thofe  who  employ  their  fortunes  and  their 
'  perfons  in  that  caufe,  to  a  dej^ree  above  thofe  who 

*  in  at  home.  God  hath  indeed  promifed  every  one 
'  Paradife,  but  God  hath  preferred  thofe  who  Jigbt' 
^  for  the  faith,  before  thofe  who  fit  ftill,  by  adding 
'  unto  them  a  great  reward  ;  by  degrees  of  honour 
'  conferred  upon  them  from  him,  and  by  granting 

*  them  forgivenefs  and  mercy*.'     Again,  '  Do  ye 

*  reckon  the  giving  drink  to  the  pilgrims,  and  the 

*  vifiiing  of  the  holy  temple,  to  be  actions  as  merito- 

*  rious  as  thofe  performed  by  him  who  believeth  m 
'  God  and  the  lad  day,  and  fighieth  for  the  religion 
'  of  God?  tb^y  fliall  not  be  held  equal  with  God.-— 
'  They  who  have  believed,  and  fled  their  country, 

*  and  employed  their  fubllance  and  their  perfons  i^ 

*  the  defence  of  God's  trae  religion,  fliall  be  in  the 
'-  highefl  degree  of  honour  with  God ;  and  thefe  are 

*   Sale's  Koran,  c.  iv.  p.  73, 

they 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ps 

*  they  who  fliall  be  happy.     The  Lord  fendcth  them 

*  good  ti'dings  of  irtTcv  from  him,  and  of  fj;ood  will, 

*  imd  of  garden*  wherein  they  flvall  enjoy  hilling 
'  plcafures!  They  ihail  continue  thtrcinforever,  for 
'with  God  is  a  great  reward'*.'  And,  once  more, 
'  Verily  God  hadi  purchafed  of  the  true  believers 
«  their  fouls  and  their  fubflance,  promifmg  them  the 
'enjoyment  of  Paradife,  on  condition  that  they /;j^Z;^ 
'/or  the  caufc  of  God,  whether  they  ll.iy  or  be  "llain, 
'the  prom ife  for  the  faine  is  a^iiredly  due,  by  the 
<  law  and  the  gofpel  and  the -Koran  f  I-' 

5.  Mis  doftrine  of  predellination  was  applicah-le, 
and  was  applied  by  hrtn,'to-the  fame  purpofe  of  for- 
tifying and  of  exalting  the  courage  of  his  adherents. 
'  If  any  thing  of  the  matter  had  happened  unto  us, 
'  we  had  uo't  been ' ilain  here.  Aniwer,  if  ye  had 
''been  in  your  houfes,  verily  they  wo\ild  have  gone 
'•forth  to  tight,  whofe  {laughter  was  decreed  to  the 
"placeswhere  they  died  §.' 

'6.  In  warm  regions,  the  appetite  of  the  fexcs  is 
ardent,  the  paihon  for  inebrinting  liquors  moderate. 
In  compliance  with  this-diilin^lion,  although  Maho- 
met'laid  a  reftraint  upon  the  drinking  of  wine,  in 
the  life  6f  women  he  allowed  an  aimoil:  unbounded 
irichilgence.  Four  wives,  'with  the  liberty  of  chang- 
ing them  at  pleafure|],  together  with  the  pcrfoiis  of 
all  his  captives^,  was  an   irrefilliblc  bribe  to  an 

*   Sale's  Koran,  c.  is.  p    151.  f  lb.  p.  164. 

:|:   '  The  fword  (faith  Mahomet)  is  the  key  of  heaven  and  of 

*  hell ;  a  drop  of  blocnl  flied  in  the  caufe  of  God  ;  a  night  fpeuC 

*  in  arms,  is  ofmore  avail  than  two  months  of  farting  or  prayer. 

*  Whrifoever  falls  ill  battle,  his  hns  are  forgiven  at  the  day  m 

*  judgment ;   his  wounds  fhill  be  refplendent  as  vermilion,  and 

*  odoriferous  as  made,  and  the  lofs  of  liis  limbs  (hall  be  fnpplici{ 

*  by  the  wings  of  angels  and  cherubim.'     Gibb.  Vol.  IX.  p. 
256. 

§  C.  iil.  54.  II   C.  iv.'p,^63.  ^  Gibb.  p.  255. 

ArabJafl 


366,  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

Arabian  warrior.  '  God  is  minded/  fays  he,  fpeak- 
ing  of  this  very  fuhjctSt,  *  to  make  his  religion  light 
'  UDto  you,  for  man  was  "reaied  weak.'  How  dif- 
ferent this  from  the  unaccommodating  purity  of  the 
gofpel  ?  How  woul;1  Mahomet  have  fucceeded  with 
the  Chriftian  lelTon  in  his  mouth,  '  Whofoever  look- 
'  eth  en  a  wo;  .an  to  luft  a^rer  her,  hath  committed 
'^  adultery  with  her  ulready  in  his  heart.'  It  muft 
be  added,  that  Mahomet  did  not  venture  unon  the 
prohibition  of  wine,  till  the  fourth  year  of  the  He- 
gira,  or  the  fevenret  nth  of  his  milTion  *,  when  his 
military  fuccelTes  had  completely  eftablifhed  his  au- 
thority. The  fame  obfervation  holds  of  the  fall  of 
the  Ramadan-j-,  and  of  the  mod  laborious  part  of 
his  inftitution,  the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca +. 

What  has  hitherto  been  collected  from  the  re- 
cords of  the  MufTuhnan  hiflory,  relates  to  the  txAelve 
or  thirteen  years  of  Mahomet's  peaceable  preaching, 
which  part  alone  of  his  life  and  enterprife  admits  of 
the  fmiilled  comp3.rifon  with  the  origin  of  Chrifti- 
anity.  A  new  fcene  is  now  unfolded.  The  city  of 
Medina,  dil!:ant  about  ten  days  journey  from  Mecca, 
was  at  that  time  diftrafted  by  the  hereditary  conten- 
tions of  two  hoftile  tribes.  Thefe  feuds  were  exaf- 
perated  Ly  the  mutual  perfecutions  of  the  Jews  and 
Chrifnans,  and  of  the  different  Chriftian  fe6ls  by 
Y>'hich  the  city  was  inhabited  [j.  The  religion  of 
Mahomet  prefented,  in  fome  meafure,  a  point  of 
union  or  comproraife  to  thefe  divided  opinions.     It 

*  Mod.  Un.  Blft.  Vol.  I.  p.  126.  t  lb.  p.  112. 

%  This  latter,  however,  already  prevailed  amonglt  the  Arabs, 
and  had  grown  cvit  of  their  exceflive  veneration  for  the  Caaba. 
Mahomet's  lav.',  in  this  refpecfl,  v/as  rather  a  compliance  than 
an  innovation  §. 

\\  Mod.  Un.  Ilift.  Vol.  I.-  p.  ICO. 

§  Sale's  Prelim,  p.  112. 

embraced 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  2<^y 

embrace*.!  the  principles  which  were  common  to  thcni 
all.  Each  party  faw  in  it  an  honourable  acknow- 
ledgment oF  the  fundamental  truth  of  their  own  fyf- 
tem.  To  the  Pai^an  Arab,  fomewhat  imbued  with 
the  fentimcnis  and  knowledge  of  his  Jewiih  or  Chrif- 
tian  fellow  citizen,  it  offered  no  offenfivc,  or  very 
improbable  theology.  This  recommendation  pro- 
cured to  Mahometanifm  a  more  favourable  reception 
at  Medina,  than  its  author  had  been  able,  by  tWL-lve 
years  painful  endeavours,  to  obtain  for  it  at  Mecca. 
Yet,  after  all,  the  proqrefs  of  the  religion  was  in- 
confiderable.  His  mlffionary  could  only  colleci:  a 
congregation  of  forty  perfons*.  It  was  not  a  reli- 
gious, but  a  political  affociation,  which  ultimately 
introduced  Mahomet  into  Medina.  Ilaraffed,  as  it 
fliould  feem,  and  difgufled  by  the  long  continuance 
of  factions  and  difputes,  the  inhabitants  of  that  city 
faw  in  the  admilTion  «f  the  prophet's  authority,  a 
reft  from  the  miferies  which  they  had  fuffered,  and 
a  fuppreffion  of  the  violence  and  fury  which  thej 
had  learnt  to  condemn.  After  an  embaffy  therefore, 
compofed  of  believers  and  unbelievers|,  and  of  per- 
fons  of  both  tribes,  with  whom  a  treaty  was  con- 
cluded of  ftrict  alliance  and  fupport,  Mahomet  made 
his  public  entry,  and  was  received  as  the  fovcrcign 
of  Medina. 

From  this  time,  or  foon  after  this  time,  the  im- 
poftor  changed  his  language  and  his  conduifl.  Ha- 
ving now  a  town  at  his  command,  where  to  arm  hi> 
party,  and  to  head  them  with  fecurity,  he  enters 
upon  new  council>.  Ke  nov;  pretends  that  a  divine 
commiiRon  is  given  to  him  to  attack  the  infidels,  t() 
deftroy  idolatry,  and  to  fet  up  the  true  faith  by  the 
fword  +.    An  early  victory  over  a  very  fupcrior  force, 

*  t  Mod.  Un.  KiO.  Vr.l.  I.  p.  Ss.         t  lb.  p.  88. 

atcliievcd 


j68  A  VIEW  Of  "THE 

atchieved  by  conciuft  And  bravery,  .-dlablHlied  .the 
renown  of  his  arms,  and  of  his  perfonal  chr.a^ler*. 
Every  year  after  this  was  marked  by  battles  ur  iiffaf- 
fmations.  The  nature  and  activity  of  M^horriet's" 
iuture  exertions  may  be  eftiraated  from  the  compa- 
taiion,  that,  in  the  nine  following  y^ars  of  his  life, 
he  commanded  his  army  in  perfon  in  eight  general 
engagements-f,  and  undertook,  by  hirafeif  or  his 
lieutenants,  fifty  military  enterprifes. 

From  this  time,  wc  have  nortiing  left  to  acGount 
for,  but  that  Mahomet  (ItjuM  coU-'ft  an  army,  that 
liis  army  flinuld  conquer,  and  that  his  religion  Ihould 
proceed  together  with  his  conquefts.  The  ordinary 
experience  of  human  affairs,  leaves  us  little  to  won- 
der at,  in  any  of  thefe  effd£ls  ;  and  they  were  like- 
wife  each  affifted  by, peculiar  facilities.  From  aJI 
jides,  the  roving  Arabs  crouded  around  the  ftandard 
of  religion  and  plunder,  of  freedom  and  viftory,  of 
arms  and  rapine.  Btfide  the  highly  painted  joys  of 
a  carnal  paradife,  Mahomet  rewarded  his  ^followers 
in  this  world  with  a  liberal  divifion  of  the  fpoils,  and 
with  the  perfons  of  their  female  captivesj.  The 
condition  of  Arabia,  occupied  by  fmall  independent 
tribes,  expofed  it  to  the  progrefs  of  a  firm  artd  refo- 
hite  army.  After  the  reduiSfion  of  his  native  penin- 
fula,  the  weaknefs  alfo  of  the  Roman  provinces  on 
the  North  and  the  Weft,  as  well  as  the  diftrafted 
itate  of  the'  Perfian  empire  on  the  Eaft,  facilitated 
the  fuccefsful  invafion  of  neighbouring  countries. 
That  Mahomet's  conquefts  fliould  carry  his  religion 
along  with  them,  wiill  excite  little' furprife,  when  we 
know  the  conditions  which  he  propof(?d  to  the  van- 
quidied.     Death  or  converfion  was  the  only  choice 

*  Victory  of  Bedr.  ib.  p.  ic6. 

t  Un.  Hia.  Vol.  I.  p.  zss-         i  Gibb.  Vol.  IX.  p.  255. 

2  offered 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  36^ 

ofTcrecl  to  idolaters.     '  Strike  off  their  licads  ;  flrilce 

*  off  all  the  ends  of  tlieir  fiii'iers  :  *  kill  tlie  idolaters, 
'  whereloever  ye  fliall  find  themf.*  To  the  Jews 
and  Chriflians  was  left  tlie  fomewhat  milder  alterna- 
tive, of  fuhje^lion  and  tribute,  if  they  perfiiced  in 
iheir  own  religion,  or  of  an  equal  participation  in 
the  rights  and  liberty,  tlic  honours  and  privilege-?, 
of  tlie  faithful,  if  they  embraced  the  religion  of  their 
conqueror??,  '  Yc  Cbrifiian  dogs,  vou  know  your 
'  option;  the  Koran,  the  tribute,  or  the  fuord];.' 
The  corrupt  fiate  of  Chriflianity  in  the  fcventh  cen- 
tury, and  the  contentions  of  its  fe^'S,  unhappily  fo 
fell  in  wiih  men's  care  of  their  f^fety,  or  their  for- 
tunes, as  to  induce  many  to  forfake  if?  profelTion. 
Add  to  all  which,  that  Mahomei*s  viftories  n:)i  only 
operated  by  the  natural  elTect  of  conqueft,  but  that 
they  were  conllantly  reprefented,  both  to  his  friends 
and  enemies,  as  divine  declarations  in  hU  favour. 
Succefs  was  evidence.  Profperlty  carried  wit!i  it  not 
only  influence  but  proof.  *  Ye  have  already,'  fay=; 
he,  after  the  batde  of  Bcdr,  '  had  a  miracle  fliowa 

*  you,  in  two  armies   which  attacked  each  other; 

*  one  army  foup^ht  for  God's  true  religion,  but  the 

*  other  were  iniidcls§.'  Again,  *  ye  flew  not  thofe 
'  who  were  flain  at  Bedr,  but  God  flew  them.     If 

*  ye  defire  a  decifion  of  the  matter  between  us,  now 

*  hath  a  decifion  come  unto  you  jj.* 

Many  more  pafTages  might  be  colle61:ed  out  of  the 
Koran  to  the  fame  effect-.  But  they  are  unneceffuy. 
The  fucccfs  of  Mahometanifm  during  this  auvl  indeed 
every  future  period  of  its  hiilory,  bears  fo  little  rc- 
femblance  to  the  early  propagation  of  Chrifl!anity, 

*   iS;Oe*s  Koran,  c.  viii.  p.  140-       -j-  lb.  c.  ix.  p.  149. 

;|:  Gibii.  ib.  p.  337.  j   Sale's  Kor.  c.  iii.  p.  3^. 

!|   CL  viii.  p,  141. 

B  b  tliK 


■S-o  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


that  no  inference  whatever  can  juftly  be  drawn  from 
it  to  the  piejudice  ot  the  Chriftian  argument.  For 
what  are  we  comparing  ?  A  Galilean  peafant,  accom- 
panied by  a  few  liiherraen,  with  a  conqueror  at  the 
head  of  his  army.  We  compare  Jefus,  without 
force,  without  power,  without  fupport,  without 
one  external  circumdance  of  attrafticn  or  influence, 
prevailing  againft  the  prejudices,  the  learning,  the 
hierarchy  of  his  country,  againd  the  ancient  religious 
opinions,-  the  pompous  religious  rites,  the  philufo- 
phy,  the  wifdom,  the  authority  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire, in  the  mod  poliflied  and  enlightened  period  of 
jrs  exiilence,  with  Mahomet  making  his  way  amongfl 
Arabs ;  collciPcing  followers  in  the  midft  of  conquells 
and  triumphs,  in  the  darkeft  ages  and  countries  of 
the  world,  and  when  fuccefs  in  arms  not  only  ope- 
rated by  that  command  of  men's  wills  and  perfons 
which  attends  profperous  undertakings,  but  was 
confidered  as  a  fure  tcftiraony  of  divine  approbation. 
That  multitudes,  perfuaded  by  this  argument,  fliould 
join  the  train  of  a  victorious  chief;  that  (till  greater 
multitudes  (hould,  without  any  argument,  bow  down 
before  irrefiftiblc  power,  is  a  condu(5l  in  which  we 
cannot  fee  much  to  furprife  us ;  in  which  we  can 
fee  nothing  that  refembles  the  caufes,  by  which  the 
cflablifhment  of  Chriflianity  was  efFc£led. 

'J  he  fuccefs  therefore  of  Mahometanifm  (lands  not 
in  the  way  of  this  important  conclufion,  that  the 
propagation  of  Chriflianity,  in  the  manner  and  under 
the  circumftances  in  which  it  was  propagated,  is  an 
unique  in  the  hiftory  of  its  fpecies.  A  Jewifli  peafant 
overthrew  the  religion  of  the  world. 

I  have,  neverthelefs,  placed  the  prevalency  of 
the  religion  amongfl  the  auxiliary  arguments  of  its 
truth  ;  becaufe,  whether  it  had  prevailed  or  not,  or 
whether  its  prevalency  can  or  cannot  be  accounted 

for. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  371 

for,  the  direft  argument  remains  dill.  It  is  ftiil 
true,  that  a  great  number  of  men,  upon  the  fpot, 
pcrfonally  conncfted  with  the  hiltory  and  with  the 
author  of  the  rcHgion,  were  induced  by  what  they 
heard  and  faw  and  knew,  not  only  to  change  their 
former  opinions,  but  to  give  up  their  time  and  facri- 
ficc  their  eafc,  to  traverfe  feas  and  kingdoms  without 
refl:  and  without  wcarinefs,  to  commit  themfelves  to 
extreme  dangers,  to  undertake  inceflant  toils,  to 
unJ:-rgo  grievous  fufFerings,  and  all  thi:-,  folely  in 
corTt-quence,  and  in  fupport,  of  their  belief  ot 
f;.:^  ,  which,  if  true,  eftablilh  the  truth  of  the  reli- 
gi'i;  which,  if  falfe,  they  muft  have  known  to 
be  fo. 


p  ♦  1?  f    - 


PART    III. 


A  BRIEF  CONSIDERATION  OF  SOME  POPULAR 
OBJECTIONS. 


CHAP.    I. 

Xhe  Difcrepancies  between  the  fever al  Go/pels, 

A  KNOW  not  a  more  rafli  or  unpbilo- 
fophical  conduft  of  the  underftanding,  than  to  reject 
the  fubftance  of  a  ftory,  by  reafon  of  fome  diverfiiy 
in  the  circumftances  with  which  it  is  related.  The 
ufual  character  of  human  teftimony  is  fubftantial 
truth  under  circumftantial  variety.  This  is  what  the 
daily  experience  of  courts  of  juftice  teaches.  When 
accounts  of  a  rranfaiSfion  come  from  the  mouths  of 
diiTerent  witncffes,  it  is  fcldom  that  it  is  not  poiTiblc 
to  pick  out  apparent  or  real  inconfillencies  between 
them.  Thefe  inconfiftencies  are  (ludioufly  difplaycd 
by  an  adverfc  pleader,  but  oftentimes  with  little  im- 
prcllion  upon  the  mmds  of  the  judges.  On  the  con- 
trary, a  clofe  and  minute  agreement  induces  the  fuf- 
picion  of  confederacy  and  fraud.  When  \yriiten 
hillories  touch  upon  the  fame  fcenes  of  ^£tion,  the 
comparifon  almoit  always  affords  ground  for  a  like 
B  b  3  rclletftion. 


374  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

rcfleftlon.  Numerous,  and  fometimes  Important, 
variations  prefent  themfelves  ;  not  fcldcm  alfo,  ab- 
solute and  final  contradiftions ;  yet  neither  one  nor 
the  other  are  deemed  fufficicnt  to  {hake  the  credibi- 
lity of  the  main  faft.  The  embaffy  of  the  Jews  to 
deprecate  the  execution  of  Claudian's  order  to  phice 
his  ftatue  in  their  temple,  Philo  places  in  harveft, 
Jofephus  in  feed  time ;  both  contemporary  writers. 
No  reader  is  led  by  this  inconfiftency  to  doubt,  whe- 
ther fuch  an  embalTy  was  fent,  or  whether  fuch  an 
order  was  given.  Our  own  hiftory  fupplies  exam- 
ples of  the  fame  kind.  In  the  account  of  the  Mar- 
quis of  Argyle's  death  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the 
Second,  we  have  a  very  remarkable  contradi£l:ion. 
Lord  Clarendon  relates  that  he  was  condemned  to 
be  hanged,  which  was  performed  the  fame  day  ;  on 
the  contrary,  Burnet,  Woodrow,  Heath,  Echard, 
agree  that  he  was  beheaded  ;  and  that  he  was  con- 
demned upon  the  Saturday,  and  executed  upon  the 
Monday  *.  Was  any  reader  of  Englilli  hiftory  ever 
fcepiic  enough,  to  raife  from  hence  a  qucfl:ion. 
Whether  the  Marquis  of  Argyle  was  executed,  or 
not  ?  Yet  this  ought  to  be  left  in  uncertainty,  ac- 
cording to  the  principles  upon  which  the  Chriftian 
hiftory  has  fometimes  been  attacked.  Dr.  Middle- 
ton  contended,  that  the  different  hours  of  the  day 
aftigned  to  the  crucifixion  of  Chrift  by  John  and  the 
other  evangelifts,  did  not  admit  of  the  reconcilement 
which  learned  men  had  propofed  ;  and  then  con- 
cludes the  difcuflion  with  this  hard  remark:  '  We 
'  muft  be  forced,  with  feveral  of  the  critics,  to  leave 
'  the  difficulty  juft  as  we  found  it,  chargeable  with 
*  all  the  confequcnces  of  manifeft  inconfiftencyj.* 

*  See  Biog.  Britan. 

t  Middleton's  Refledions  anfwered  by  Benfon.    Hifl.  Clarif. 
Vol.  III.  p.  50. 

But 


EVIDENCES  or  CHRISTIAXITY.  375 

But  what  are  thefc  confequcnccs  ?  by  no  me:ins  thr 
difcrcditing  of  the  hiftory  a?  to  the  principal  f.iiTl,  hv 
a  rt-pugnancy  (even  fuppofing  that  repugnancy  net 
to  be  refolvable  into  dilVerent  modes  of  computation) 
in  the  time  of  the  day,  in  which  it  is  faiJ  to  have 
taken  phice. 

A  great  deal  of  tlie  difcrepancy,  obfervabic  in 
the  gofp.els,  ari(<?s  from  omiffion  ;  from  a  f;i6t  or  a 
paflai^e  of  ChrilVs  life  being  noticed  by  one  writer, 
which  is  unnoticed  by  another.  Now  omifTion  i^ 
at  aM  liincs  a  very  uncertain  ground  of  objccTiion. 
Wc  perceive  it,  not  only  in  the  comparifon  of  dif- 
ferent writers,  but  even  in  the  fame  writer,  when 
compared  with  himfelf.  There  are  a  great  many 
particulars,  and  fome  of  them  of  importance,  inen- 
tioned  by  Jofephus  in  his  antiquities,  which,  as  we 
fliould  have  fuppofed,  ought  to  have  been  put  down 
by  him  in  their  place  in  his  Jewifli  wars*.  Sueto- 
ni-us,  Tacitus,  L)io  Caflius,  have,  all  three,  written 
of  the  reign  of  Tiberius.  Each  has  mentioned  many 
things  omitted  by  the  reflf,  yet  no  obje(5tion  is  from 
thence  taken  to  the  refpective  credit  of  their  hillories. 
We  have  in  our  own  times,  if  there  were  not  fome- 
thing  indecorous  in  the  comparifon,  the  life  of  an 
eminent  perfon,  written  by  three  of  hi«  friends,  in 
which  there  is  very  great  variety  in  the  incidents 
felefted  by  them,  fome  apparent,  and  perhaps  fome 
real  contradiflions  ;  yet  without  any  irapeachmenr 
of  the  fubftantial  truth  of  their  accounts,  of  the  au- 
thenticity  of  the  books,  the  competent  informatioQ 
or  general  fidelity  of  the  writers. 

But  tlicfe  difcrepancies  will  be  ftill  more  numerous, 
wlien  men  do  not  write  hidories,  but  7ne?noirs ; 
which  is  perhaps  the  true  name,  and  proper  defcrip- 
tion  of  our  gofpels :  tliat  \i,  when  they  do  not  un- 

*  LarJ.  Part  I.  Vol.  II.  p.  73;,  ct  fcq.         f  ^'^-  P-  743- 
B  b  4  derraki"^ 


r/(^  A  VIEV/  OF  THE 

dertake,  or  even  meant  to  deliver,  in  order  of  time, 
a  regular  and  complete  account  of  ^/7  the  things  of 
importance,  which  the  perfon,  who  is  the  fubjeft 
of  their  hiftory,  did  or  faid  ;  but  only,  out  of  many 
fimilar  ones,  to  give  fuch  paffac^es,  or  fuch  a«Stions 
and  difcourfes,  as'  offered  themfelves  more  immedi- 
ately to  their  attention,  came  in  the  way  of  their 
enquiries,  occurred  to  their  recolleftion,  or  were 
iuggcfled  by  their  particular  deftgn  at  the  time  of 
Writing. 

This  particular  dc/ign  may  appear  fometimes,  uut 
not  always,  nor  often.  Thus  1  think  that  the  par- 
ticular dell'Tn  which  Sr.  iVlatthew  had  in  view  whilft 
he  was  writing  the  hiftory  of  the  refurreftion,  was 
to  atteft  the  faithful  performance  of  Chrift's  promife 
to  his  difciples  to  go  before  them  into  Galilee  ;  be- 
caufc  he  alone,  except  Mark,  who  feems  to  have 
taken  it  from  him,  has  recorded  this  promife,  and 
he  alone  has  confined  his  narrative  to  that  fmgle  ap- 
pearance to  the  difciples  which  fulfilled  it.  It  was 
the  preconcerted,  the  great  and  moft  public  mani- 
feftarion  of  our  Lord*s  perfon.  It  was  the  thing 
which  dwelt  upon  St.  Matthew's  mind,  and  he 
adapted  his  narrative  to  it.  Bat,  that  there  is  no- 
thing in  St.  Matthew's  language,  which  negatives 
other  appearances,  or  which  imports  that  this  his 
appe:irance  to  his  difciples  in  Galilee,  in  purfuance 
of  his  promife,  was  his  firfl  or  only  appearance,  is 
made  pretty  evident  by  St.  Mark's  gofpel,  which 
ufed  the  fame  terms  concerning  the  appearance  in 
'  Galilee  as  St.  Matthew  ufes,  yet  itfelf  records  two 
other  appearances  prior  to  this  :  '  Go  your  way,  tell 

*  his  difciples  and  Perer,  that  he  goeth  before  you 
'  into  Galilee,  then  fliall  ye  fee  him  as  he  f^iid  unto 

*  you.'  (xvi.  7.)  We  might  be  apt  to  infer  from 
thefe  words,  that  this  was  the  lirft  time  they  were 
to  fee  him  :  at  Icaft,  v/c  might  infer  it,  with  as  much 

reafou 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANHT.  377 

rcafon  as  we  draw  ilic  inference  from  the  fame  words 
in  Matthew  ;  yet  the  hillorian  hrrafcif  did  not  per- 
ceive that  lie  was  leading  his  readers  to  any  fuch 
conclufion  ;  for,  i/i  the  iwePfrh  and  two  following 
verfes  of  this  chaprer,  he  informs  us  of  two  ap- 
pearances, which,  by  comparing  the  order  of  events, 
are  fhewn  to  have  been  prior  to  the  appearance  in 
Galilee.     *  He  appeared  in  another  form  nnto  two 

*  of  them,  as  they  walked,  and  went  into  the 
'  country ;  and  they  went  and  told  it  unto  the  re- 

*  fidue,  neither  believed  they  them  :  afterwards  he 

*  appeared   unto  the   eleven   as    they  fat    at    meat, 

*  and   upbraided  them  with  their  unbelief,  becaufe 

*  they  brlicved  not  them  that  hdtd  feen  hiirr  after  he 
'  was  rifen. 

Probably  the  fame  obfervation,  concerning  the 
particular  defign  which  guided  the  hilborian,  may 
be  of  ufc  in  comparing  many  other  pafTages  of  the 
gofpcls. 


CHAP.     II. 

Erroneous  Opinions  imputed  to  the  Apojlles, 

xjL  species  of  candour  which  is  ihewn 
towards  every  other  book,  is  fometimes  refufed  to 
the  fcripturcs  ;  and  that  is,  the  placing  of  a  diftinc- 
lion  between  judgment  and  teftimony.  We  do  not 
ufually  queftion  the  credit  of  a  writer,  by  rcafon  of 
any  opinion  he  may  have  delivered  upon  fubjefts, 
unconnefted  with  his  evidence  ;  and  even  upon  fub- 
jcfts,  conne(fted  with  his  account,  or  mixed  with  ic 

in 


378  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

in  the  fame  dlfcourfe  or  writing,  we  naturally  fepa- 
rate  fafts  from  opinions,  teftimony  from  obfervation, 
narrative  from  argument. 

To  apply  this  equitable  confideration  to  the  Chrif- 
tian  records,  much  controverfy,  and  much  objeftion 
has  been  raifed,  concerning  the  quotntion?^  of  the 
Old  Teflament  found  in  the  New  ;.  fome  of  which 
quotations,  it  is  faid,  are  applied  in  a  fenfe,  and  ta 
events,  apparently  different  from  that  which  they 
bear,  and  from  thofe  to  which  they  belong,  in  the 
original.  It  is  probable  to  my  apprehenfion,  that 
many  of  thofe  quotations  were  intended  by  the  wri- 
ters of  the  New  Teftament  as  noihine  more  than 
accommodations.  They  quoted  paiTages  of  their 
fcripture,  which  fuited,  and  fell  in  with,  the  occa- 
fion  before  them,  without  always  undertaking  to 
alTert,  that  the  occafion  was  in  the  view  of  the  au- 
thor of  the  words.  Such  accommodations  of  paf- 
fages  from  old  authors,  from  books  efpecially,  which 
are  in  every  one's  hands,  are  common  with  writers 
of  all  countries;  but  in  none,  perhaps,  were  more 
to  be  expefted,  than  in  the  writings  of  the  Jews, 
whofe  literature  was  almofl:  entirely  confined  to  their 
fcriptures.  Thofe  prophecies  which  are  alleged 
with  more  folemnity,  and  which  are  accompanied 
with  a  precife  declaration,  that  they  originally  re- 
fpcfted  the  event  then  related,  are,  I  think,  truly 
alleged.  But  were  it  otherwife  j  is  the  judgment  of 
the  writers  of  the  New  TefVament,  in  interpreting 
paflages  of  the  Old,  or  fometimes,  perhaps,  in  re- 
ceiving eflabliflied  interpretations,  fo  connected, 
either  with  their  veracity,  or  with  their  means  of 
information  concerning  what  was  paiTmg  in  their 
own  times,  as  that  a  critical  miftake,  even  were  it 
clearly  made  our,  fliould  overthrow  their  hifforical 
credit  ? — Does  it  diminiHi  it  ?  Has  it  any  thing  to 
do  with  it  ? 

Another 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         379 

Anoilicr  error,  imputed  to  the  firfl  Chriftian^, 
w*as  the  expe(fted  approach  of  the  day  of  judgmcnr. 
I  would  introduce  this  objt^ion,  by  a  remark,  upon 
what  appears  to  me  a  fomewhat  fimilar  example. 
Our  Saviour,  fpeakiui^  to  Peter  of  John,  faid,  *  If 

*  I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  that  to 

*  thee*.*  Thefc  words,  we  find,  have  been  fo  mif- 
conftrued,  as  that  '  a  report'  from  thence,  '  went 
'  abroad  amono  the  brethren,  that  that  difciple 
'  fliould  not  die.'  vSuppofe  that  this  had  rome  down 
to  us  amongll  the  prevailing  opinions  of  the  early 
Chriilians,  and  that  the  particular  circumftance, 
from  which  the  mi'lake  fprun^,  had  been  loft  (which 
humanly  fpeakin?;  was  mod  likely  to  have  been  the 
cafe)  fome,  at  this  day,  woald  have  been  ready  to 
regard  and  quote  the  error,  as  an  impeachment  of 
the  whole  Chriftian  fyftem.  Yet  with  how  little 
jurtice  fuch  a  conclulion  would  have  been  drawn,  or 
rather  fuch  a  prefumption  taken  up,  the  information, 
which  we  h;ippen  to  poiTcfs,  enables  us  now  to  per- 
ceive. To  ihofe  who  think  that  the  fcriptures  lead 
us  to  believe,  that  the  early  Chrillians,  and  even 
the  apoflles,  expelled  the  approach  of  the  day  of 
judgment  in  their  own  times,  the  fame  refle^lion  will 
occur,  as  that  which  we  have  made,  with  refpeft 
to  the  more  partial  perhaps  and  temporary  but  dill 
t\n  Icfs  ancient  error,  concerning  the  duration  of  St. 
John's  life.  It  was  an  error,  it  may  be  likewife  faid, 
which  would  efrc<n:urdly  hinder  thofe,  who  entertain- 
ed it,  from  acting  the  part  of  impoftors. 

The  difficulty  which  attends  the  fubjecl  of  the 
prcfent  chapter,  i'^  contained  in  this  qucftion  ;  if  we 
once  admit  the  f,dlibiliiy  of  the  apoflolic  judgment, 
where  are  w<;  to  (lop,  or  in  what  can  we  rely  upon 
it  ?  T'o  which  quelli  jns,  as  arguing  with  unbelievers, 

*  J'lliri  xxi.  23. 

and 


3-30  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

and  as  arguing  for  the  fubftantial  truth  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  hidory,  and  for  that  alone,  ir  is  competent  to 
the  advocate  of  Chriftiarity  to  reply,  Give  me  the 
apoflles*  teflimony,  and.  I  do  not  (land  in  need  of 
their  judgmenr ;  give  me  the  fafts,  and  I  have  com- 
plete fecurity  for  every  conclufion  1  want. 

But,  although  I  think,  that  it  is  competent  to  the 
ChrJilian  apologift  to  return  this  anfwer  ;  I  do  not 
think  that  it  is  the  only  anfwer  which  the  objeftion 
is  capable  of  receiving.  The  two  following  cautions, 
founded,  I  apprehend,  in  the  moft  reafonable  dif- 
iin61ions,  will  exclude  all  uncertainty  upon  this  head, 
which  can  be  attended  with  danger. 

Firft,  to  feparate  what  was  the  objecl  of -the  apof* 
tolic  mifiion,  and  declared  by  them  to  be  fo,  froia 
what  was  extraneous  to  it,  or  only  incidentally  con- 
nc<5led  with  it.  Of  points  clearly  extraneous  to  the 
religion,  nothing  need  be  faid.  Of  points  inciden- 
tally connefted  with  it,  fomething  may  be  added. 
Demoniacal  polTeflion  is  one  of  ihefc  points  :  con- 
cerning the  reality  of  which,  as-  this  place  will  not 
admit  the  examination,  or  even  the  production  of 
the  arguments,  on  either  fide  of  the  queflion,  it 
would  be  arrogance  in  me  to  deliver  any  judgment. 
And  it  is  uiineceiTary,  For  what  I  am  concerned  to 
obferve  is,  that  even  they,  who  think  that  it  was  a 
gG^neral,  but  erroneous  opinion,  of  thofe  times ;  and 
that  the  writers  of  the  New  Teftament,  in  common 
with  other  Jewifli  writers  of  that  age,  fell  into  the 
manner  of  fpeaking  and  of  thinking  upon  the  fubjed, 
which  then  univerfally  prevailed  ;  need  not  be  alarm- 
ed by  the  conceffion,  as  though  they  had  any  thing 
to  fear  from  it,  for  the  truth  of  Chriftianity.  The 
doi5lrine  was  not  what  Chrifl  brought  into  the  world. 
Ic  appears  in  the  Chriftian  records,  incidentally  and 
accidentally,  as  being  the  fubfiiling  opinion  of  the 
;ipc  and  country  in  which  his  minidry  was  excrcifed. 

-      '  tt 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  381 

It  was  no  part  of  the  objc<^  of  his  revelation,  to 
regulate  men's  opinions,  concerning  the  action  of 
fpiritual  fiibftanccs  upon  animal  bodies.  At  any  rate, 
it  is  unconneftcd  with  teftimony.  If  a  dumb  perfon 
was  by  a  word  reflored  to  the  ufe  of  his  fpeech,  it 
fignifies  little  to  what  caufc  thcdumbnefs  was  afcribed : 
and  the  like  of  every  other  cure,  wrought  upon  thofc 
who  are  faid  to  have  been  poffefTcd.  The  malady 
was  real,  the  cure  was  real,  whether  the  popular 
explication  of  the  caufe  was  well  founded,  or  not. 
The  matter  of  faft,  the  change,  fo  far  as  it  was  an 
obj-  £t  of  fenfe,  or  of  leflimony,  was  in  either  cafe 
the  fame. 

Secondly,  that,  in  reading  the  apoftolic  writings, 
we  diftinguiih  between  ihcir  doctrines  and  their  argu- 
ments. Their  doflrines  came  to  them  by  revelation, 
properly  fo  called  ;  yet,  in  propounding  thefe  doc- 
trines in  their  writings  or  difcourfes,  they  were  wont 
to  illuflrate,  fupport  and  enforce  them,  by  fuch  ana- 
logies, arguments,  and  confiderations,  as.  their  own 
thoughts  fiiggclled.  Thus  the  call  of  the  Gentiles, 
that  is,  the  admiflion  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  Chriftian 
profcflion  without  a  previous  fubic(5lion  to  the  law  of 
Mofes,  was  imi)arted  to  the  apoftles  by  revelation^ 
'and  was  atteffed  by  the  miracles  which  attended  the 
Chriftian  miniflry  amongft  them.  The  apoflles'  own 
alTurance  of  the  matter,  refled  upon  this  foundation. 
Neverihelefs,  St.  Paul,  when  treating  of  the  fubjeifl:, 
offers  a  great  variety  of  topics  in  its  proof  and  vin- 
dication. The  doctrine  itfclf  muft  be  received  ;  but 
is  it  neceffary,  in  order  to  defend  Chriftianity,  to 
defend  the  propriety  of  every  comparifon,  or  the 
validity  of  every  argument,  which  the  apoflie  has 
brought  into  the  difcuflion  .?  The  fame  obfcrvation 
applies  to  fome  other  inftances ;  and  is,  in  my  opi- 
nion, very  well  founded.  *  When  divine  writers 
'  argue  upon  any  point,   we  are  always  bound  to 

'  believe 


3^2  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  believe  the  conclufions  that  their  reafonings  end  in, 

*  as  parts  of  divine  revelation  ;  but  we  are  not  bound 
'  to  be  able  to  make  out,  or  even  to  afTent  to,  all 
'  the  premifes  made  ufe  of  by  them,  in  their  whole 

*  extent,  unlcfs   it   appear  plainly,  that  they  affirm 

*  the  premifes  as  exprcfbly  as  they  do  the  conclufions 

*  proved  by  tliem*.* 


CHAP.    III. 


The  connexion  of  Chri/iianity  with  the  Jewifi 
H'Jiory, 

LJNdoubtedly,  our  Saviour  aifumes 
the  divine  origin  of  the  Mofaic  inftitution  :  and, 
independently  of  his  authority,  I  conceive  it  to  be 
very  difficult  to  affign  any  other  caufe  for  the  com- 
mencement or  exiftence  of  that  inftitution  ;  efpe- 
cially  for  the  Angular  circumftance  of  the  Jews  ad- 
hering to  the  unity,  when  every  other  people  flid 
into  polythcifm  ;  for  their  being  men  in  religion, 
children  in  every  thing  elfe ;  behind  other  nations 
in  the  arts  of  peace  and  war,  fuperior  to  the  moft 
improved,  in  their  feniiments  and  doftrines  relating 
to  the  deity f.  Undoubtedly,  alfo,  our  Saviour 
recognizes  the  prophetic  charafter  of  many  of  their 

*  Burnet's  Expof.  art.  6. 

t  *  In  the  doctrines,  for  example,  of  the  unity,  the  eternitj* 

*  the  omnipotence,  the  omnifcience,  the  omniprefence,  the  wif- 

*  dom  and  the  goodnefs  of  God  ;  in  their  opinions  concerning 

*  providence,  and  the  creation,  prefervation  and  government 

*  of  the  world.*     Campbell  on  Mir.  p.  207. 

ancient 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  383 

ancient  writers.  So  far,  therefore,  we  are  bound, 
as  Chriltians,  to  go.  But  to  make  Chriftianiiy  an- 
fwerable,  with  its  life,  for  the  circumftantial  truth 
of  each  feparatc  palTage  oi  the  Old  Teilament,  the 
genuinencfs  of  every  book,  the  information,  fidelity, 
and  judgment  of  every  writer  in  it,  is  to  brin:^,  I 
will  not  fay  great,  but  unnccelTiry  difficulties,  into 
the  whole  fyitem.  Thefc  books  were  univerfally 
read  and  received  by  the  Jews  oF  our  Savioui's  time, 
lie  and  his  apollles,  in  common  with  all  other  Jews, 
referred  to  them,  alluded  to  them,  ufed  them.  Yet, 
except  where  he  exprefsly  afcribes  a  divine  authority 
to  particular  prediftions,  1  do  not  know  that  we  can 
Itriftly  draw  any  conclufion  from  the  books  being  fo 
ufed  and  applied,  bcfidc  the  proof,  which  it  unqucf- 
lionably  is,  of  their  notoriety  and  reception  at  that 
time.  In  this  view,  our  fcripturcs  alTord  a  valuable 
tcftimony  to  ihofe  of  the  Jews.  But  the  nature  of 
this  telbmony  ought  to  be  undcrflood.  It  is  furcly 
very  dilfcrent  from,  what  it  is  fometimes  reprefcnted 
to  be,  a  fpecific  ratification  of  each  particular  faft 
and  opinion  ;  and  not  only  of  each  particular  h6l, 
but  of  the  motives  affigned  for  every  a(5lion,  together 
with  the  judgment  of  praifc  or  difpraifc  beftowed 
upon  them.  St.  James,  in  epillle*,  fays,  '  Ye  have 
'  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job,  and  have  feen  the 

*  end  of  the  Lord.*  Notwiihllanding  this  text,  the 
reality  of  Job's  hiltory,  and  even  the  exiftence  of 
fuch  a  perlun,  has  been  always  deemed  a  fair  fubjcdt 
of  enquiry  and  difculTion  amongft  Chrillian  divines. 
St.  James's  authority  is  confidercd  as  good  evidence 
of  the  book  of  Job  at  that  time,  and  of  its  reception 
by  the  Jews,  and  of  nothing  more.  St.  Paul,  in 
Lis  fecond  cpiille  to  Timothy f,  has  this  fimilitude, 

*  Now,  as  Janncs  and  Jambres  withllood  Mofcs,  fo 


»•  2.  f  iii.  8. 


384  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  do  thefe  alfo  refifl  the  truth.*  Thef^  names  are 
not  found  in  the  Old  Teftament.  And  it  is  uncertain, 
whether  St.  Paul  took  them  from  feme  apocryphal 
writing  then  extant,  or  from  tr;idition.  But  no  one 
ever;  imagined  tliat  St.  Paul  is  here  afferting  the 
authority  of  the  writing,  if  it  was  a  written  account 
which  he  quoted,  or  making  himfelf  anfwerable  for 
the  authenticity  of  the  tradition  ;  much  icfs,  that  he 
fo  involves  himfelf  with  either  of  thefe  queilions,  as 
that  the  credit  of  his  own  hiilory  and  miiFion  fhould 
depend  upon  the  fa^,  whether  '  jannes  and  jam!. res 
withftood  Mofes,  or  not.'  For  what  reafon  a  more 
rigorous  interpretation  fnould  be  put  upon  other 
references,  it  is  difficult  to  know.  I  do  not  mean, 
that  other  paiTagcs  of  the  Jewifti  hiftory  ftand  upon 
HO  belter  evidence  than  the  hiftory  of  Job,  or  of 
Jannes  and  Jambres,  (I  think  much  otherwifej,  but 
1  mean,  that  a  reference  in  the  New  Teftament,  to 
a  pafTage  in  the 'Old,  docs  not  fo  fix  its  autho- 
rity, as  to  exclude  all  enquiry  into  its  credibility,  or 
into  the  feparate  reafons  upon  which  that  credibility 
jfS  founded;  and  that  it  is  an  unwarrantable,  as  well  as 
unfafe  rule  to  lay  down  concerning  the  Jewidi  hiftory, 
what  was  never  laid  down  concerning  any  other,  that 
either  every  particular  of  it  muft  be  true,  or  the 
whole  falfe. 

I  have  thought  it  necelTary  to  (late  tliis  point  ex- 
plicitly, becaufe  a  fafliion  revived  by  Voltaire,  and 
purfued  by  the  difciples  of  his  fchool,  feems  to  have 
much  prevailed  of  late,  of  attacking  Chriftianiry 
through  the  fides  of  Judaifm.  Some  obje<5i:ions  of 
this  clafs  are  founded  in  mifconllrucfiion,  fome  in 
exaggeration  ;  but  all  proceed  upon  a  fuppofition, 
which  has  not  been  made  out  by  argument,  thit  the 
atteftation,  which  the  author  and  firft  teachers  of 
Cliriftianity  gave  to  the  divine  milTion  of  Mofes  and 
the  prophets,  extends  to  every  point  and  portion  of 
I  the 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  385 

ihc  Jewidi  hillory  ;  and  fo  extends,  as  ro  make  Chrif- 
tianiry  refponfiblc,  in  its  own  credibility,  for  the 
circLimftantial  inith,  I  had  alrr.oO  faid,  for  the  critical 
(^xa«5tncfs,  of  every  narrative  contained  in  the  Old 
'rcflamenr. 


C II  A  P.     IV. 

Rcje&ion  of  Cbrijlianity. 


X'Ve  acknowlcdTje  that  the  Chrifiian 
religion,  although  it  converted  great  numbers,  did 
not  produce  an  univerfal,  or  even  a  general  convic- 
tion ill  the  minds  of  men,  of  the  aec  and  countries 
in  which  it  appeared.  And  this  want  of  a  more 
complete  and  extenfive  fuccefs,  is  called  the  rejedion 
of  tlie  Chriflian  hiftiry  and  miracles ;  and  has  been 
thought  by  fome,  to  form  a  (Ironc^  objection  to  the 
reality  of  the  fafts  which  the  hiftory  contains. 

The  matter  of  the  objeftion  divides  itfelf  into 
two  parts,  as  it  relates  to  the  Jews,  and  as  it  relates 
to  Heathen  nations  ;  becaufe  the  minds  of  thefe  two 
defcriptions  of  men,  may  have  been,  with  refpefl  to 
Chriftianity,  under  the  iniluence  of  very  dilTercnC 
caufes.  The  cafe  of  the  Jews,  inafmuch  as  our 
Saviour's  miniftry  was  originally  addrcffed  to  them, 
offers  itfelf  firft  to  our  confideration. 

Now,  upon  the  fubjeft  of  the  truth  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  religion,  with  us  there  is  but  one  queftion,  viz. 
whether  the  miracles  were  a^luilly  wrought  ?  From 
acknowledging  the  miracles,  we  pafs  inftaniancoufly 

C  c  -  to 


386  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

to  the  acknowleci cement  of  the  whole.  No  doubc 
lies  between  the  premifcs  and  the  conclufion.  If  we 
believe  the  works,  or  any  one  of  them,  we  believe  in 
Jefus.  And  this  order  of  reafoning  is  become  fo 
univerfal  and  familiar,  that  we  do  not  readily  appre- 
hend how  it  could  ever  have  been  otherwife.  Yet 
it  appears  to  rae  perfeftly  certain,  that  the  ftate  of 
thought,  in  the  mind  of  a  Jew  of  our  Saviour's  age, 
was  totally  differiTit  from  this.  After  allowing  the 
reality  of  the  miracle,  lie  had  a  great  deal  to  do  to 
perfuade  himfelf  that  Jefus  was  the  MeiTiah.  This' 
is  clearly  intimated  by  various  paffages  of  the  gofpel 
hiftory.  It  appears  that,  in  the  apprehenfion  of  the 
writers  of  the  New  Teftament,  the  miracles  did  not 
irrefidibly  carry,  even  thofe  who  faw  them,  to  the 
conclufion  intended  to  be  drawn  from  them  ;  or  fo 
compel  aflent,  as  to  leave  no  room  for  fufpence,  for 
the  exercife  of  candour;  or  the  effeds  of  prejudice. 
And  to  this  point  at  lead,  the  evangelifls  may  be 
allowed  to  be  good  witnelTes  ;  becaufe  it  is  a  point, 
in  which  exaon[eration  or  dif^^uife  Vv^ould  have  been 
the  Other  way.  Their  accounts,  if  they  could  be 
fufpefted  of  falfliood,  would  rather  have  magnified, 
than  dirainiflied,  tlie  efTecls  of  the  miracles. 

John  vii.  2  1,  31.  '  Jefus  aufwered,  and  faid  unto 
them,  I  have  done  one  v.'ork,  and  ye  all  marvel — 
if  a  man  on  the  Sabbath-day  receive  circumcifion, 
that  the  law  of  Mofes  fliould  not  be  broken,  are  ye 
angry  at  me,  becaufe  I  liave  made  a  man  every  whit 
whole  on  the  Sabbath-day  ?  Judge  not  according  to 
the  appearance,  but  judge  righteous  judgment.  Then 
faid  fome  of  them  of  Jerufalem,  is  not  this  lie  whom 
they  fcek  to  kill?  but  lo,  he  fpeakeih  boldly,  and 
they  f  ly  nothing  to  him  ;  do  the  rulers  know  indeed 
that  this  is  tlie  very  Chrift  ?  ho%vbeit  ivc  know  ibis 
?nan^  ivhcncc  he  is ;  buf,  ivben  Chr'ijl  co?neth,  ns 
man  kiw%veih  ivhenre  be  is.     Then  cried  Jefus  in  the 

temple 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  3^7 

icniplc  as  he  taught,  iliying,  ye  both  know  me,  and 
yc  l<no\v  whence  I  am  ;  and  I  am  not  come  of  myfcH, 
but  he  that  lent  me  is  true,  whom  yc  know  not ;  hut 
I  know  him,  for  I  am  from  him,  and  he  hath  fenc 
me.  Then  they  foui^ht  to  take  him,  but  no  man 
laid  hands  on  him  bccaufchis  hour  was  not  yet  come; 
and  many  of  the  people  believed  on  hUn^  and  faid^ 
when  Chrijt  cometh^  ivill  he  do  more  miracles  than 
thofc  which  this  man  hath  done?* 

riiis  paffage  is  very  ohfervablc.  It  exhibits  the 
reafoning  of  dillerent  forts  of  perfons  upon  the  occa- 
fion  of  a  miracle,  which  perfons  of  all  forts  are  re- 
prefented  to  have  acknowledged  as  real.  One  fort 
of  men  thought,  that  theie  was  fomcihing  very  ex- 
tr;iordinary  in  all  this  ;  but  that  (lill  jefus  could  not 
be  the  Chrifl:,  becaufe  there  was  a  circumftance  in 
his  appearance  which  militated  with  an  opinion 
concerning  Chriif,  in  which  they  had  been  brought 
up,  and  of  the  truth  of  which,  it  is  probable,  they 
had  never  entertained  a  particle  of  doubt,  viz.  that 
'  when  Chrilt  comcth  no  man  knoweih  whence  he 
'  is.'  Anoihc-r  fort  were  inclined  to  believe  hiin  to 
be  the  Mefliah.  But  even  thefe  did  not  argue  as  we 
lliould  ;  did  not  confider  the  miracle  as  of  itfelf  deci- 
ilve  of  the  quedion,  as  what,  if  once  allowed,  ex- 
cluded all  farther  debate  upon  the  fubject,  but  found- 
ed their  opinion  upon  a  kind  of  comparative  reafon- 
ing, '  when  Cliriit  cometh,  will  he  do  more  miracles 
'  than  thofe  which  this  man  hath  done?* 

Another  j^alFage  in  the  fame  cvangelifl:,  and  ob- 
fervable  for  the  fame  purpofe,  ii  that,  in  v.hich  he 
relates  the  relurrccHon  of  Lazarus :  '  Jeius,'  he  tellr. 
us,  (xi.  43,  44.)  *  when  he  had  tlius  fpokcn,  cried 

*  with  a  loud  voice,  Lazarus,  come  h)rth  ;  and  he, 
'  that  was  dead,  came  forth,  bound  liand  and  foot 
'  with  grave  clothes,  and  his  face  v.as  bound  about 

*  v/ith  a  napkin.     Jefus  faith  unto  them,  loo.O  hin-; 

C  c  2  *  atij 


3§8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

*  and  let  him  go.'  One  might  have  expe£^ec!,  that 
at  leaft  all  tliofe  who  flood  by  the  fepulchre,  when 
Lazarus  was  raifed,  would  have  believed  in  Jefus. 
Yet  the  evangelift  does  not  fo  reprefent  it.  '  Then 
'  many  of  the  Jews  which  came  to  Mary,  and  had 

*  fcen  the  things  which  Jefus  did,  believed  on  him  ; 

*  hut  fofue  of  them  went  their  ways  to  the  Pharifees, 
^  and  told  them  what  things  Jefus  had  done.'  We 
cannot  fuppofe  that  the  evangelift  meant,  by  rhis 
account,  to  leave  his  readers  to  imagine  that  any  of 
the  fpe^tators  doubted  about  the  truth  of  the  miracle. 
Far  from  it.  Unqueftionably  he  dates  the  miracle 
to  have  been  fully  allowed :  yet  the  perfcns  who 
allowed  it,  were,  according  to  his  reprefentation, 
capable  of  retaining  hoilile  fentiments  towards  Jefus. 
'  Believing  in  Jefus'  was  not  only  to  believe  that  he 
Vv'rought  miracles,  but  that  he  was  the  Mefliah. 
With  us  there  is  no  difference  between  thefe  two 
things  ;  with  them  there  was  the  greatefl.  And  the 
difference  is  apparent  in  this  tranfa^lion.  If  St.  John 
has  reprefented  the  conduft  of  the  Jews  upon  this 
occafion  truly  (and  why  he  fhould  not  I  cannot  tell, 
for  ir  rather  makes  againft  him  than  for  him)  it  fhews 
clearly  the  principles  upon  which  their  judgment 
proceeded.  Whether  he  has  related  the  matter  truly 
or  not,  the  relation  itfelf  difcovers  the  writer's  own 
opinion  of  thofe  principles,  and  that  alone  poffeiTes 
confiderable  authority.  In  the  next  chapter,  we 
have  a  reflection  of  the  evangelift,  entirely  fuited  to 
this  ftate  of  the  cafe  ;  ^  but  though  he  had  done  fo 
'  many  miracles  before  them,  yet  believed  they  not 

*  on  him*.'  The  evangelift  does  not  mean  to  im- 
pure the  defecl  of  their  belief  to  any  doubt  about 
the  miracles,  but  to  their  not  perceiving,  what  all 
ViOW  fufficiently  perceive,  and  what  they  would  hfive 

*  sii-  37* 

perceived 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  389 

perceived  h:\d  not  their  underftanding  been  govern- 
ed by  rtrong  prejudices,  the  infallible  uttcltation, 
which  the  works  of  Jehu  bore  to  the  trutli  of  t:is 
pretcnfions. 

The  ninth  chapter  of  St.  John's  gofpcl,  contauis 
a  very  circumilantial  account  of  the  cure  of  a  blind 
man  ;  a  miracle  fubmitted  to  all  the  fcrutiny  and  ex- 
amination which  a  fccptic  could  propnfe.  If  a  mo- 
dern unbeliever  had  drawn  up  the  interrogatories, 
they  could  hardly  have  been  more  critical  or  fearch- 
incT.  The  account  contains  aUo  a  very  curious  con- 
ference between  the  Jewiih  rulers  and  the  patient, 
in  which  the  point  for  our  prcfent  notice,  is  their 
refiftance  of  the  force  of  the  miracle,  and  of  the 
conclufion  to  which  it  led,  after  tlu-y  had  failed  in 
difcrediting  its  evidence.  *  We  know  that  God 
'  fpake  unto  Mofes,  but  as  for  this  fellow  we  know 

*  not  whence  he  is.'  That  was  the  anfwer  which 
fet  their  minds  at  reft.  And  by  the  help  of  much 
prejudice,  and  great  unwillingnefs  to  yield,  it  might 
do  fo.  In  the  mind  of  the  poor  man  rcfiored  to 
fight,  which  was  under  no  fach  bias,  felt  no  fuch 
reluftance,    the    miracle  had  its  natural  operation. 

*  Herein,'  fays  he,  '  is  a  marvellous  thing,  that  ye 
'  know  not  from  whence  he  is,  yet  he  hath  opened 

*  mine  eyes.     Now  we  know  thit  God  heartth  net 

*  finners  ;  but  if  any  man  be  a  worlhipper  of  God, 
«  and  doeih  his  will,  him  he  heareth.  Since  the 
«  world  began  was  it  not  heard,  th.it  any  man  opened 
'  the  eyes  of  one  that  was  born  blind.  U  this  mnn 
'  were  not  of  God  he  could  no  nothing.'  We  do 
not  find,  that  the  Jewifli  rulers  had  any  other  reply 
to  make  to  this  defence,  than  that  which  authority 
is  fometimes  apt  to  make  to  argument,  '  doell  thou 
*  teach  us  ?' 

If  it  flrall  be  enquired  how  a  turn  of  thought,  fo 
different  from  what  prevails  at  prefenr,  Ihould  ob- 

C  c  3  tarn 


39=-  A  VIEW  OF  THE 


tain  currency  with  the  ancient  Jev/s,  the  anfwer  is 
found  in  two  opinions,  which  are  proved  to  have 
fubfifted  in  that  age  and  country.  The  one  was, 
their  e'^peftation  of  a  MeiTrah,  of  a  kind  totally  con- 
trary to  what  the  appearance  of  jefifs  befpoke  him 
to  be ;  the  other,  their  perfuafion  of  the  agency  of 
demons  in  the  produflion  of  fupernatural  cfFecls. 
Thefe  opinions  are  woifuppofedhj  us  for  the  purpofe 
of  argument,  but  are  evidently  recognized  in  the 
Jewlfli  writings,  as  well  as  in  ours.  And  it  ought 
iroreover  to  be  confidered,  that  in  thefe  opinions 
the  Jews  of  that  age  had  been  from  their  infancy 
brought  up  ;  tliat  they  were  opinions  the  grounds 
of  which  they  had  probably  few  of  them  enquired 
into,  and  of  the  truth  of  v/hich  they  entertained  no 
doubt.  And  I  think,  that  thefe  two  opinions  con- 
jointly alTord  an  explanation  of  their  conduft.  The 
liril:  put  them  upon  feeking  out  fome  excufe  to  them- 
felves,  for  not  receiving  Jefus  in  the  cbarafter  in 
which  he  claimed  to  be  received  ;  and  the  fecond 
fupplied  them  with  juft  fuch  an  excufe  as  they  want- 
ed. Let  Jefus  work  what  miracles  he  v/ould,  ftill 
the  anfwer  was  in  rcadinefs,  '  that  he  wrought  them 
'  by  the  affidance  of  Beelzebub.'  And  to  this  an- 
fwer no  reply  could  be  made,  but  that  which  our 
Saviour  did  make,  by  Ihowing  that  the  tendency  of 
his  miffion  was  fo  adverfe  to  the  views  with  which 
this  Being  was,  by  the  objectors  themfelves,  fuppofcd 
to  aft,  that  it  could  not  reafonabiy  be  fuppofed  that 
he  would  airifl  in  carrying  it  on.  The  power  dif- 
played  in  the  miracles  did  not  alone  refute  the  Jewifli 
folution,  becaufe,  the  interpofition  of  invifible  agents 
being  once  admitted,  it  is  impoffible  to  afcertain  the 
limits  by  which  their  efficiency  i?  circumfcribcd.  We 
of  this  day  may  be  difpofed,  poiTibly,  to  think  fuch 
opinions  too  abfurd,  to  have  been  ever  ferioufly  en- 
tertained. I  am  not  bound  to  contend  for  the  cre- 
dibility 


EVIDENCLS  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  3y» 

.V.biHty  of  the  opinic.ns.     Th.y  were  at  leaft  as  real 
ionable  as  the  belief  in  witchcraft.      1  hey  wer.  opi- 
nior.s  in  which  the  Je^vs  of  that  a:^e  h.d  from  t!,ar 
infancy  been  inftruftcd  :   and  tlioie  who  cannot  iec 
enou  Ji  in  the  force  of  this  r..fon    to  ^c^""^-^  f°[, 
their^condna  towards  our  Saviour,  do  not  fuflic.ent.) 
confider  how  fuch  opinions  may  fometimcs  become 
very  -eneral  in  a  country,  and  with  what  pertmacity, 
when"  once   become  fo,  they  are     for  that  rcafon 
alone,  adhered  to.     In  the  fi'.fpenfe  which  to.efeno- 
tions,  and  the  prejudices  refulting  from  them,  mv^h 
occafion,  the  candid  and  docile  and  humble  mmclcd 
would  probably  decide  in  Chrilt's  favour  ;  the  proud 
and    obilinate,    together   with   the    o,  Uly   and   the 
thoufrhtlefs,  almoft  univerfally  apjainfl  him. 

Tliii;  ftate  of  opinion  difcovers  to  us  alio  the  rea^ 
fon  of  what  fome  choofe   to  wond jr   at,  wny  the 
lews  fliould  rejea  miracles  when  they  faw  them,  yet 
rely  fo  much  upon  the  tradition  of  them  in  their  own 
hiltorv.      It  docs  not  appear,  that  it  had  ever  entered 
into  the  minds  of  thofe   who  lived  in  the  time  ot 
Mofes  and  the  prophet.,  to  afcribe  ibciv  m;r^cles  to 
the  fupernatural  a^^ency  of  evil  bcinns.      1  he  lolu- 
tion  was  not  then  invented.     And  the  authority  ot 
Mofes  and  the  prophets  being  eltabhlhed,  and  De- 
come  the  foundation  of  the  naticnal  policy  and  re.i- 
<,ion,  it   was    not    probable    that    the    later   Jrws, 
brought  up  in  a  reverence  for  that  religion,  and  the 
fubiefts  of  that  policy,  fhoiild  apply  to  their  hitlory 
a  reafoning  which  tended  to  ovcrihrow  the  founda- 
tion of  both.  11, 
II.  The  infidelity  of  tlie  g-nti!e  world,  and  that 
more  efpecially  of  men  of  rank   and  learning  m  it, 
is  refolvable   into  a  principle,  which,  m  my  judg- 
ment, will  account  for  tlie  inelhcacy  of  any  argument 
or  any  evidence  whatever,  viz.  contempt  prior  to 
examination.      The  ftate  of  religion   amon-fl  the 

C  c   4  OvceUs 


392  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

Greeks  and  Romans  had  a  natural  tendency  to  in- 
duce this  difpofition.  Dionyfius  Halicarnafl'v^nfis 
remarks,  that  there  were  fix  hundred  different  kinds 
of  religions  or  facred  rires  exercifed  at  Rome*. — 
The  fuperior  claffes  of  the  community  treated  them 
all  as  fables.  Can  we  wonder  then,  that  Chrifti- 
anity  was  included  in  the  number,  v^'irhout  enquiry 
into  its  feparate  merits,  or  the  particular  grounds  of 
its  pretenlions  ?  It  might  be  either  true  or  falfe  for 
any  thing  they  knew  about  it.  The  rehgion  had 
nothing  in  its  charafter  which  immediately  engaged 
their  notice.  It  mixed  with  no  politics.  It  produced 
no  fine  writers.  It  contained  no  curious  fpeculations. 
When  it  did  reach  their  knowledge,  I  doubt  not 
but  that  it  appeared  to  them  a  very  ftrange  fyftem — 
fo  unphilofophical — dealing  fo  little  in  argument  and 
difcuffion,  however  in  fuch  arguments  and  difcuflions 
as  they  were  accufhomed  to  entertain.  What  is  faid 
of  Jefus  Chrifl:,  of  his  nature,  office,  and  miniftry, 
would  be,  in  the  highefl:  degree,  alien  from  the 
conceptions  of  their  theology.  •  The  redeemer,  and 
the  defined  judge,  of  the  human  race,  a  poor  young 
man  executed  at  Jerufalem  with  two  thieves  upon  a 
crofs !  Still  more,  the  language  in  which  the  Chrif- 
tian  doftrine  was  delivered,  would  be  difibnant  and 
barbarous  to  their  ears.  What  knew  they  of  grace, 
of  redemption,  of  juftification,  of  the  blood  of 
-Chrifl  filed  for  the  fins  of  men,  of  reconcilement,  of 
meditation  ?  Chrifiianity  was  made  up  of  points  they 
had  never  thought  of,  of  terms  which  they  had 
never  heard. 

It  was  prefented  alfo  to  the  imai^ination  of  the 
learned  heathen,  under  additional  difadvantagc,  by 
reafon  of  its  real,  and  fiiill  more  of  its  nominal,  con- 
nexion vviih  Judailm.     It  fliared  in  the  obloquy  and 

*  Jortin's  remarks  on  Eccl.  Hid.  vol.  i.  p.  371. 

ridicule, 


EVIDENCES  OF  CIIRISTJANIT  V.  393 

ridicule,  witli  which  tliat  people  and  their  religion 
were  treated  by  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  They 
reg.irdcd  Jehovah  himfelf  only  as  the  idol  of  the 
Jewidi  nation,  and  what  was  related  of  him,  as  of 
a  piece  with  what  was  told  of  the  tutelar  deities  of 
other  coiiniiies  :  nay,  the  Jew.-;  were  in  a  particular 
manner  ridiculed  for  being  a  credulous  race  ;  fo  that 
wh;itever  reports  of  a  miraculous  nature  came  out 
of  that  country,  were  looked  upou  by  the  hcatJien 
world  as  falfe  and  frivolous.  When  they  heard  of 
^hriftianity,  they  heard  of  it  as  a  quarrel  amongft 
this  people,  about  fome  articles  of  their  own  fuper- 
flition.  Defpifmg  therefore,  as  they  did,  the  whole 
fyftem,  it  was  not  probable  that  they  would  enter, 
with  anv  dcizrce  of  ferioufnefs  or  attention,  into  the 
detail  ot  it5  difputes,  or  the  merits  of  either  fide. 
How  little  they  knew,  '^nd  with  what  careleffnefs 
they  judi^ed  of  thefe  matters,  appears,  I  think,  pretty 
plainly  from  an  example  of  no  lefs  weight,  than  that 
of  Tacitus,  who  in  a  grave  and  profcll'ed  difcourfe 
upon  the  hillory  of  the  Jews,  Itatcs  that  they  wor- 
Ihipped  the  effigy  of  an  als*'.  The  pafl'age  is  a  proof, 
how  prone  the  learned  men  of  thofe  times  were, 
and  upon  how  little  evidence,  to  heap  together  lio« 
ries,  which  miglit  increafc  the  contempt  and  odium 
in  which  that  people  wa-;  held.  Tlic  fame  foolilh 
charge  is  alfo  confidently  repeated  by  riutarch|. 

It  is  >obfervable,  that  all  thefe  conhderations  arc 
of  a  nature  to  operate  with  the  greateil  force  upon 
the  highell  ranks  ;  upon  men  of  education,  and  that 
order  of  the  public  from  which  icritcrs  arc  princi- 
pally taken  :  I  may  add  alfo,  upon  the  philofophical 
as  well  as  the  libertine  character  :  upon  the  Anto- 
nincs  or  Julian,  not  lefs  than  upon  Nero  or  Domi- 

*  T.ic.  HilK  1.  V.  c.  2. 

f  Sympnf.  lib.  4.  q-.icf.  5. 

tian ; 


394  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

tian  ;  nnd,  more  particularly,  upon  iliat  large  and 
polifhecl  clafs  of  mtn,  who  acquiefjrd  in  the  general 
perfuafion,  that  all  they  had  to  do  was  to  pra611fe 
the  duties  of  morahry,  and  to  worfliip  the  deiry 
?nore  patrio ;  a  h.ibit  of  thinking,  Hberai  as  it  may 
appear,  which  fiiuts  the  door  ac,ainfl  every  argument 
for  a  new  religion.  The  confiderations  above-men- 
tioned, would  acquire  a'fo  ftrength,  from  the  pre- 
judice which  men  of  rank  and  learning  univerfally 
entertain  againd  any  thing  that  originates  with  the 
vulgar  and  illiterate  ;  wdiich  prejudice  is  known  to 
be  as  obftinatc  as  any  prejudice  whatever. 

Yet  Chrillia'iity  was  Ii:ill  making  its  way :  and, 
amidft  fo  many  Im.pediraents  to  its  progrefs,  fo  much 
difficulty  in  procuring  iiudience  and  attention,  its 
a61ual  fuccefs  is  mors  to  be  wondered  at,  than  that 
it  fiioulJ  nor  have  univerfally  conquered  fcorn  and 
indiflerence,  fixed  tlie  levity  of  a  voluptuous  age, 
or.  through  a  cloud  of  adverle  prejudications,  opened 
for  itfelf  a  paiTage,  to  the  hearts  and  underdandings 
of  the  fcholars  of  the  age. 

And  the  caufe  which  is  here  afngncd  for  the  rc- 
jfTciion  of  Chriftianity,  by  men  o\  rank  and  learnmg 
am.ong  the  heathens,  namely,  a  ftrcng  antecedent 
contempt,  accounts  alfo  for  \h€\x  filence  concerning 
it.  If  they  had  rejected  it  upon  examination,  they 
would  have  wa-itten  about  it.  They  would  have 
given  their  reafons.  Whereas  what  men  repudiate 
upon  the  Arength  of  fome  prefixed  pcrfuafion,  or 
from  a  fettled  contempt  of  the  fubjecf,  of  the  per- 
fons  who  propofe  it,  or  of  the  manner  in  which 
it  is  propofed,  they  do  not  naturally  wi-ite  books 
about,  or  notice  miuch  in  what  they  write  upon 
other  fubjecfs. 

The  letters  of  the  younger  Pliny  furnifli  an  exam- 
ple of  this  filcnce,  and  let  us,  in  fome  m.eafure,  inio 
the  caufe  of  it.     From  his  celebrated  correfpondence 

■with 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  395 

witli  Trajan,  \vc  know  th.u  rhc  Clirillian  religion 
prevailed  in  a  verv  confiderablc  degree  in  the  pro- 
vince over  which  he  prelided  ;  that  it  had  excited 
his  attention  ;  that  he  had  enquired  into  the  matter, 
jail  fo  n;uch  as  a  Roman  magiflrat:;  mi',>ht  be  e.\'- 
pefted  to  enquire,  viz.  whether  the  religion  contain- 
ed any  opinions  dangerous  to  government  ;  but  that 
of  its  doftrincs,  its  evidences,  or  its  hooks,  he  had 
not  taken  the  trouble  to  inform  himfelf  with  any  de- 
gree c^  care  or  correftnef^.  Init  although  Pliny  had 
viewed  Chridianiry  in  a  nearer  pofiiion  than  moft  of 
his  learned  countrymen  faw  it  in  ;  yet  he  had  regard- 
ed the  whole  with  inch  negligence  and  difdain,  (far- 
ther than  as  it  feemed  to  concern  adrainillration), 
that,  in  more  than  two  hundred  and  forty  leitcrs  of 
his  v/hich  have  co'iie  down  to  us,  the  fubjecl  is  never 
once  again  mentioned.  If  out  of  this  number  the 
two  letters  betwetn  him  and  Tri-jin  had  been  lo(f, 
with  v.'hat  confi.lence  would  the  obfcurity  of  the 
ChriiVian  religion  have  been  argued  from  Pliny's 
fdence  about  it,  and  with  how  little  truth  ? 

The  name  and  chara^'Ter,  Vviiich  Tacitus  hath 
given  to  Ciirifriimity,  '  exitiabilis  fupcrilirio,'  (a  per- 
nicious fuperfliiion),  and  by  which  two  words  he 
difpofes  of  the  v^hoie  queifion  of  the  merits  or  deme- 
rits of  the  religion,  alTord  a  ftrong  proof  lunv  little 
he  knevr,  or  concerned  himfelf  to  know,  about  the 
matter.  I  apprehend  that  1  fliall  not  be  contradicted, 
when  I  take  upon  me  to  affert,  th.at  no  unbeliever 
of  the  prcfent  age  would  apply  thli  epithet  to  the 
Chriiliauity  of  the  New  Tcltament,  or  not  allovr 
tliat  it  was  entirely  unmerited.  Re:id  the  inftru^tions 
given  by  a  great  teacher  of  the  religion,  to  thofc 
very  Roman  converts,  of  whom  Tacitus  fpeaks  ; 
and  given  alfo  a  very  few  years  before  the  time  of 
which  he  is  fpeaking  ;  and  which  are  not,  let  it  be 
obferved,  a  collciStion  of  fine  facings,  brought  toge- 
ther 


30  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

rber  froin  dlffererit  parts  of  a  large  work,  but  ftand 
in  one  entire  pp.fiage  of  a  public  letter,  without  the 
intermixture  of  a  fingle  thought,  which  is  frivolous 
or  exceptionable.  '  Abhor  that  which  is  evil,  cleave 
to  that  which  is  good.  Be  kindly  afFe£i:icned  one 
to  another  with  brotherly  love,  in  honour  prefer- 
ring one  another.  Not  fiOthful  in  bufmefs,  fervent 
in  fpirit,  ferving  the  Lord,  rejoicing  in  hope,  pa- 
tient in  tribulation,  continuing  inftant  in  prayer, 
diftributing  to  the  neceffity  of  faints,  given  to  hof- 
pitality.  Blcfs  them  which  perfecuie  vou  ;  blcfs, 
and  curfe  not;  rtjoice  with  them  tiiat  do  rejoice, 
and  weep  with  them  that  Vveep.  Be  of  the  fame 
mind  one  towards  another:  mind  not  high  th'ngs, 
but  condefcend  to  men  of  low  edaie.  Be  noi  wife 
in  your  own  conceits.  Recorapenfe  to  no  m;rii  evil 
for  evil.  Provide  things  honed  in  the  fight  of  all 
men.  If  it  be  poffible,  as  much  as  lieih  in  you, 
live  peaceably  with  all  men.  Avenge  not  your- 
felves,  but  rather  give  place  unto  wrath,  for  it  is 
written,  vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay,  f.iith  the 
Lord  :  therefore,  if  thine  enemy  huni^er,  feed 
him  ;  if  he  third,  give  him  drink  ;  for  in  fo  doing, 
thou  flialt  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head.  Be  not 
overcome  of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good.* 
'  Let  every  foul  be  fubjeft  imto  the  higher  pow- 
ers, for  there  is  no  power  but  of  God  ;  the  powers 
that  be  are  ordained  of  God  ;  whofoever  therefore 
'  refiileth  the  power,  refifteth  the  ordinance  of  God; 

*  and  they  that  refifl  fnall  receive  unto  themfelves 
^  damnntion.  For  rulers  are  not  a  terror  to  good 
'  works,  but  to  the  evil.  Wilt  thou  then  not  be 
^  afraid  of  the  pov/er  ?  Do  that  which  is  good,  and 
*•  thou  flialt  have  praife  of  the  fame,  for  he  is  the 
'  minifter  of  God  to  thee  for  good  ;  but  if  thou  do 

*  that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid,  for  he  beareth  not 

*  ihe  fword  in  vain  ;  for  he  is  the  minifter  of  Gcd, 

*  a  revenger 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  397 

a  revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  docth 
evi!.  Wiicrefore  ye  nnift  needs  be  fulyjeft  not 
only  for  wrath,  but  alfo  for  confcience  fake: 
for  this  ' Mufe,  pay  ye  tribute  alfo,  for  they  are 
God's  ininiftt"!'s,  attendint^  continually  upon  this 
very  thin^^.  Render,  therctorc,  to  all  their  dues  ; 
tribute,  to  whom  tribute  is  due  ;  cudom,  to  whom 
cuftom  ;  fear,  to  whom  fear  ;  honour,  to  whom 
honour.' 

'  Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but  to  love  one  another; 
for  I'.e  ihar  lovcth  aHother  hath  fuifiiled  the  law  : 
for  thi=,  thou  Ihalt  not  commit  adultery,  thou  ihalc 
not  kill,  tliou  Ihalt  not  bear  faife  witnefs,  thou 
fliall  not  covet,  and  if  there  be  any  other  command- 
ment, it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  thiis  fayinp;,  thoti 
flialt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyfelf.  Love  workeili 
no  ill  to  his  neighbour,  therefore  love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law.' 

'  And  that,  knowing  the  time,  that  now  it  is 
high  time  to  iiwake  out  of  fleep  :  for  now  is  our 
falvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed.  The  night 
is  far  fpent,  the  day  is  at  hand  ;  let  us  therefore 
cafl:  olT  the  works  of  darknefs,  and  let  us  put  on 
the  armour  of  light.  Let  us  walk  honefUy  as  in 
the  day,  not  in  rioting  and  drunkennefs,  not  in 
chambering  and  wantonnefs,  not  in  llrife  and  en- 
vying*.* 

Read  this,  and  then  think  of  ex'iiiabilis  fupcrjli" 
i'lo  ! ! — Or  if  we  be  not  allowed,  in  contending  with 
heathen  authorities,  to  produce  our  books  againlb 
tiieirs,  we  may  at  leafl  be  permitted  to  confront 
theirs  with  one  another. — Of  this  '  pernicious  fuper- 
*  llirion,'  what  could  Pliny  find  to  blame,  when  h«* 
was  led  by  his  office,  to  inllitutc  fomething  like  an 

*    Rom.   xli.   5. — xiii.  I  J. 

e.xamioatioji 


398  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

exarainaiion  into  the  conciiicl  and  principles  of  the 
fc<5l  ?  He  difcovered  nothing,  but  that  they  were 
wont  to  meet  together  on  a  ilated  day  before  it  vvas 
light,  and  fmg  among  ihemfehves  a  hymn  to  Chrift 
as  a  God,  and  to  bind  themfcrh'es  by  an  oath  nor  to 
the  commiiTion  of  any  wickedntfs,  but  not  to  be 
guiUy  of  theft,  robbery,  or  adultery  ;  never  to  fal- 
fify  their  word,  nor  to  deny  a  pledge  commircd  to 
them,  when  called  upon  to  return  it. 

Upon  the  words  of  Tacitus  we  may  build  the  fol- 
lowing obfervations  : 

Firil,  That  we  are  well  warranted  in  calling  the 
view,  under  which  the  learned  men  of  that  age  be- 
held Chrillianity,  an  obfcure  and  diflant  view.  Had 
Tacitus  known  more  of  CJirifiianity,  of  its  precepts, 
duties,  conftitution,  or  defign,  however  he  had  dif- 
credited  the  flory,  he  would  have  refpecled  the  prin- 
ciple. He  vouid  have  defcribed  the  relip^ion  differ- 
cntly,  though  he  had  rejetSled  it.  It  has  been  very 
fatisfa^lorily  fliown,  that  the  '  fiiperftition'  of  the 
Chriflians  confifted,  in  worfliipping  a  perfon  un- 
known to  the  Roman  calendar  ;  and  that  the  perni- 
cioufnefi  with  which  they  were  reproached,  wa* 
notliing  elfe  but  iheir  oppofition  to  the  CttabliilTed 
polytheifm  :  and  this  view  of  the  matter,  was  juft 
fuch  a  one,  as  might  be  expefled  to  occur  to  a  mind, 
which  held  the  left  in  too  much  contem.pt,  to  con- 
cern itfelf  about  the  grounds  and  reafons  of  their 
conduct. 

Secondly,  We  may  from  hence  remark,  how  little 
reliance  can  be  placed  upon  the  moft  acute  judg- 
ments, in  fubjefts  which  they  are  plcafed  to  defpife  ; 
and  which,  of  courfe,  they  from  the  ihil  confider, 
as  unworthy  to  be  enquired  into  Had  not  Cbriifi- 
anity  furvived  to  tell  its  own  fforVt  '^  ^'^''tifl  have  gone 
dDv.'n  to  pofierity  as  a  '  pernicious  iupcrflition  •/  and 

that 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  35,^ 

lluit  upon  ihe  credit  of  Tacitiis's  uxounr,  imich 
ltreni',tlienc'd,  1  doubt  not,  l)y  the  name  ot  the  v.iirer, 
and  ilie  reputation  ot   his  (;u>acity. 

Thirdly,  That  this  contempt  prior  to  examination, 
is  an  intclltflual  vice,  iVoni  which  the  greateft  facul- 
ties of  mind  are  not  free.  1  know  not,  indeed, 
whether  men  of  the  greateil  facuhies  of  mind,  arc 
not  tlie  mod  fLd)je(5l  to  it.  Sucli  men  feel  themfelves 
feated  upon  an  eminence.  Lookinir  down  from 
their  height  upon  tlie  follies  of  mankind,  they  be- 
hold contending  tenets,  wading  their  idle  iirengih 
upon  one  anotiicr,  with  a  common  difJain  of  tlic 
abfurdity  of  rhem  ail.  This  habit  of  thought,  how- 
ever comfortable  to  the  mind  which  entertains  it,  or 
liowever  natural  to  great  parts,  is  extremely  dan- 
gerous-,  and  more  apt,  ihan  almofl  any  other  difpo- 
fition,  10  produce  hafly  and  contcmnruous,  and,  bv 
confequence,  ei  roneous  judgmtrnrs,  both  of  perfons 
and  opinions. 

Fourthly,  We  need  not  be  furprifed  at  many  wri- 
ters of  that  age  not  mentioning  Chriflianity  at  all, 
when  they,  who  did  mention  it,  appear  to  have  en- 
tirely mifconceived  its  nature  and  character;  and, 
in  confequence  of  that  mifconception,  to  have  re- 
garded it  with  negligence  and  conrcnipt. 

To  the  knowledge  of  the  greatelT:  part  of  the 
learned  heathens,  the  fai^s  of  the  Chrillian  hiitory 
could  only  come  by  report.  The  books,  probably, 
they  had  never  looked  into.  'Ihe  fettled  habit  of 
iheir  minds  was,  and  K  ng  had  been,  an  indif.  iimi- 
nate  rejefticn  of  all  reports  of  the  kind.  Wi[h  thcf- 
fwecping  conclufions  truth  hath  no  ciuince.  h  de- 
pends upon  diilinftion.  If  they  would  not  enocire, 
how  Ihould  ihey  be  convinced  ?  It  might  be  foundecl 
in  truth,  though  they,  who  made  no  fearch,  might 
not  difcover  ic. 

'  Meq 


4©©  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  Men  of  rank  and  fortune,  of  wit  and  abilities, 

*  are  often  found,  even  in  Chriftian  countries,  to  be 
'  furprifingiy  ignorant  of  religion,  and  of  every  thing 
'  that  relates  to  it.  Such  were  many  of  the  heathens. 
'  Their  thoughts  were  all  fixed  upon  other  things, 
'  upon  reputation  and  glory,  upon  Vv-eahh  and  power, 

*  upon  luxury  and  pleafure,  upon  bufmcfs  or  learn- 

*  ing.  They  thought,  and  they  had  reafon  to  think, 
*■  that  the  religion  of  their  country  was  fable  and  for- 
'  gery,  an  heap  of  inconfiftent  lies,  which  inclined 
*•  them  to  fuppofe  that  other  religions  were  no 
'  better.     Hence   it   came  to  pafs,  that   when    the 

*  apoilles  preached  the  gofpel,  and  wrought  mira- 
'  cle&in  confirmation  of  a  do£tnne  every  way  wor- 
'  thy  of  God,  many  gentiles  knew  little  or  nothing 
'  ©f  it,  and  would  not  take  the  leaf!:  pains  to  inform 
'  themfelves  about  it.  This  appears  plainly  from 
'  ancient  hillory*.* 

I  think  it  by  no  means  unreafonable  to  fuppofe, 
that  the  heathen  public,  efpecially  that  part  which 
was  made  up  of  men  of  rank  and  education,  were 
divided  into  two  claffes  ;  thofe  who  defpifed  Chrif- 
tianity  beforehand,  and  thofe  who  received  it.  In 
correfpondency  with  which  divifion  of  character,  the 
writers  of  that  age  would  alfo  be  of  two  ch^.fles,  thofe 
who  were  filent  about  ChriRianity,  and  thofe  who 
were  Chriilians,  '  A  good  man,  who  attended  fuf- 
'■  ficiently  to  roe  Chriftian  affairs,  would  become  a 

*  Chriftian  ;  after  which  his  tefiimony  ceafed  to  be 
'  pagan,  and  became  Chriftian |.' 

I  mud  alfo  add,  that  I  think  it  fufiiciently  proved, 
that  the  notion  of  mayjc  was  reforted  to  by  the  hea- 
then adverfaries  of  Chridianity.  in  like  manner  as 

*  Jcnhvs  Dlf.  on  tlie  Chvif.  Rel,  p.  66.  ed.  Atb. 
f  Hartley,  obf.  p.  119. 

ci  that 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  4c i 

that  of  diabolical  agfiicy  had'  before  been  by  the 
lews.  judin  Marryr  alleges  this  as  his  reafon  for 
iirguingj  from  nrophecy,  r.irher  than  from  miracles. 
Origen  imputes  this  cvafion  ro  Celfus  ;  Jerome  10 
Porphyry  ;  uid  Laifiairiu.  to  rhe  h.athcn  in  eencral. 
The  fcvcr.il  pafla  ;cs  which  contain  thefe  teflimonies, 
will  be  produced  in  the  next  chapter.  It  beitv^  dif- 
ficult however  to  afrert ain,  in  whar  de  ree  this  no- 
lion  prevailed,  cfpccially  amonuft  the  fupcrior  ranks 
of  the  heathen  communities,  another,  and  1  think 
an  adequate  caufe,  has  C'-n  afhgnrd  for  their  infi- 
delity. It  is  probai)le  that  in  many  cafes  the  two 
eaufes  would  operate  together. 


CHAP.     IV. 


That  the  Chriflian  miracles  are  not  recited,  or  ap- 
pealed to,  by  early  Chrijiian  writers  themfehes, 
fo  fully  or  frequently  as  might  have  been  expecled. 

1  SHALL  confider  this  objeaion,  firfl, 
as  it  applies  to  the  letters  of  the  apodles,  preferved 
in  the  New 'I  eftament ;  and  fecondly,  as  it  applies 
to  the  remaining  writings  of  other  early  ChrilHans. 

The  epiftles  of  the  apoltles  are  cither  hortatory 
or  arsjumentative.  .So  far  as  they  were  occupied, 
in  dehvcring  IclT  >ns  of  duty,  rules  of  public  order, 
admonirions  againll  certain  prevailing  corruptions, 
againft  vice,  or  any  particular  fpecie^  of  ir,  or  in 
fonifyiiig  and  encouraging  the  conftancy  of  tlic  dif- 
ciples  under  the  trials  to  which  they  were  cxpofcd, 

D  d  there 


402  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

there  appears  to  be  no  place  or  occafion  for  more  of 
thefe  references  than  we  aftually  find. 

So  far  as  the  epifl^les  are  argumentative,  the  na* 
ture  of  the  argument  which  they  handle,  accounts 
for  the  infrequency  of  thefe  allufions.  Thefe  epif- 
tles  were  not  written  to  prove  the  truth  of  Chrifti- 
anity.  The  fubjeft  under  confideration,  was  not 
that  which  the  miracles  decided,  the  reahty  of  our 
Lord's  mifTion  ;  but  it  was  that,  which  the  miracles 
did  not  decide,  the  nature  of  his  perfon  or  power, 
the  defign  of  his  advent,  its  efFefts,  and  of  thofe 
effefts  the  value,  kind,  and  c:xtent.  Still  I  maintain, 
that  miraculous  evidence  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the 
argument.  For  nothing  could  be  fo  prepoflerous, 
as  for  the  difciples  of  Jcfus  to  difpiite  amongd  them- 
felves,  or  with  others,  concerning  his  office  or  cha- 
rafter,  unlefs  they  believed  that  he  had  fliown,  by 
fupernatural  proofs,  thrii  there  was  fomething  extra- 
ordinary in  both.  Miraculous  evidence,  therefore, 
forming  not  the  texture  of  thefe  arguments,  but  the 
ground  and  fubilratum,  if  it  be  occafionally  difcern- 
ed,  if  it  be  incidentally  appealed  to,  it  is  exaftly  fo 
much  as  ought  to  take  place,  fuppofing  the  hiftory 
to  be  true. 

As  a  further  anfwer  to  the  objection,  that  the 
apoflolic  epiftles  do  not  contain  fo  frequent,  or  fuch 
direft  and  circumllantial  recitals  of  miracles  as  might 
be  expetled,  I  would  add,  that  the  apoftolic  epif- 
tles refemble  in  this  refpeft  the  apoftolic  fpecches, 
which  fpeeches  are  given  by  a  writer,  who  diftindtly 
records  nnmerous  miracles,  wrought  by  thefe  apof- 
tles  themfelves,  and  by  the  founder  of  the  inftitution 
in  their  prefence  ;  that  it  is  unwarrantable  to  con- 
tend, that  the  omiffion,  or  infrequency  of  fuch  reci- 
tals in  the  fpeeches  of  the  apoftles,  negatives  the 
exiftence  of  the  miracles,    when    the  fpeeches  are 

given 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  403 

given  in  imiiiediare  conjunt^ion  with  the  hidory  of 
thofc  miracles;  and  that  a  conclufidn  which  ciuinot 
be  inferred  from  the  fpeeches,  without  contradicting 
the  whole  tenor  of  the  book  which  contains  them, 
cannot  be  inferred  from  Ittters,  which,  in  tliis  rc- 
fpeft,  arc  fimilar  only  to  the  fpeeches. 

To  prove  ihe  fimilitude  which  we  allege,  it  may 
be  remarked,  that  although  in  Sr.  Luke's  gofpcl, 
the  apoflle  Peter  is  reprefenied  to  have  been  preient 
at  many  dcciiive  miracles  wrought  by  Chriif ;  and 
although  the  fecond  part  of  the  fame  liiflory  afcribes 
other  decifive  miracles  to  Peter  himfelf,  particularly 
the  cure  of  the  lame  man,  at  the  gate  of  the  temple, 
(Afts  iii.  I.),  the  death  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira, 
(Afts  v.  I.),  the  cure  of  ^neas,  (Afts  ix.  40.), 
the  refurredion  of  Dorca-?,  (A61s  ix.  34.)  ;  yet  out 
of  fix  fpeeihes  of  I'eter,  prefcrved  in  the  A£is,  I 
know  but  two.  in  which  reference  is  made  to  the 
miracles  wrought  by  Chrifl:,  and  only  one  in  which 
he  refers  to  miraculous  powers  pi  iT/lTed  by  himf  If. 
In  his  fpecch  upon  the  day  of  Pcntecoft,  Peter  ad- 
dreffes  his  au.^icnce  with  great  folemnity  thus :   '  Ye 

*  men  of  Ifrael,  hear  thcfe  words ;  Jelns  ot  Naza- 

*  reih,  a  man  approved  of  God  among  you,  by  mi- 

*  racles  and  wonders  and  figns,  which  God  did  by 

*  him   in   the   midft  of  you,    as   ye  yourfclves    dlo 

*  know.  Sec  *'.*  In  his  fpeech  upon  the  con- 
verfion  of  Cornelius,  he  delivers  his  tcdiiiiMnv  to 
the  miracles  pertormed  by  Chrifi-  in  thefc  words  : 

*  We  are  witntfTes  ol  all  things  wliich  he  did,  both 

*  in  the  land  of  the  Jews,  and  in  Jcrufdemf.*  But 
in  this  latter  fpeech  no  allufion  appears  to  the  mira- 
cles wrought  by  himfelf,  notwithftanding  that  the 
miracles  above  enumerated,  all  preceded  the  time  in 
which   it   was   delivered.     In  his  fpcccli   upon  the 

*  AJls  ii.  22.  f  lb.  X.  39. 

D  d  2  eIc(5tion 


464  A  \^IE\V  OF  THE 

election  of  Matihias*,  no  diftinft  reference  is  made 
to  any  of  the  miracles  of  Chrifl's  hiftory,  except  his 
refurr  ft  on.  The  fame  alfo  may  be  obferved  of  his 
fpeech  u  )on  the  cure  of  the  lame  man  at  the  gate  of 
the  temple  I ;  the  fame  in  his  fpeech  before  the  San- 
hedrim J  ;  the  fame  in  his  fecond  apology  in  the 
prefence  of  that  aifembly.  Stephen's  long  fpeech 
contains  no  reference  whatever  to  miracles,  though 
it  be  exprefsly  related  of  him,  in  the  book  which 
preferves  the  fpeech,  and  alraolt  immediately  before 
the  fpeech,  '  that  he  did  great  wonders  and  mira- 
'  cles  among  the  people  §.*  Again,  although  mira- 
cles be  exprefsly  attributed  to  St.  Paul  in  the  Afts 
of  the  Apodles,  firfh  generally,  as  at  Iconium,  (Afts 
xiv.  3.),  during  the  whole  tour  through  the  Upper 
Afia,  (xiv.  27.  XV.  12.),  at  Ephefus,  (xix.  11,  12.)  ; 
fecondly,  in  fpecific  inllances,  as  the  blindnefs  of 
Elymas  at  Paphos}),  the  cure  of  the  cripple  at  Lyf- 
tra^,  of  the  Pythoncfs  at  Philippi**,  the  miracu- 
lous liberation  from  prifon  in  the  fame  city  -j-j-,  the 
reftoration  of  EutychusJJ,  the  predidions  of  his 
lliipwreck  §§,  the  viper  at  Melita[|||,  the  cure  of 
Publius's  father ^^  ;  at  all  which  miracles,  except 
the  two  fird:,  the  hiftorian  himfelf  was  prefent  : 
notwithftanding,  1  fay,  this  pofitive  afcription  of 
miracles  to  St.  Paul,  yet  in  the  fpecches  delivered 
by  him,  and  given  as  delivered  by  him,  in  the  fame 
book  in  which  the  miracles  are  related,  and  the  mi- 
raculous powers  alTerted,  the  appeals  to  his  own 
miracles,  or  indeed  to  any  mJracIes  at  all,  are  rare 
and  incidental.  In  his  fpeech  at  Antioch  in  Pifi- 
dia***,  there  is  no  allufion,  but  to  the  refurreftion. 


*  A.^s  I.  15. 

t  lb.  iil. 

12. 

t   iv.  9. 

i;  vi.  8. 

II   xiii.  7 

^^xiv.  8. 

**   XV i.  16. 

fj-  xvi.  26. 

tt    XX.   10. 

§§   xxvii. 

1. 

II  Ij   xxviii.  6. 

^^  xxviii.  8. 

***   xiii. 

16. 

In 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  405 

In  his  difcourfe  at  Miletus*,  none  to  any  miracle ; 
none  in  his  fpeecli  before  Felix f  ;  none  in  his  fpccch 
before  Fen;us+  ;  except  to  Chriil's  rcfiiiTc^tion,  and 
his  own  converfion. 

Agreeably  hereunto,  in  thirteen  letters  afcribed 
to  St.  Paul,  we  have  incelTant  references  to  Chrifl's 
refurrc(^ion,  frequent  references  to  his  own  conver- 
fion, three  indubitable  references  to  the  miracles 
which  he  wrought §,  four  other  references  to  the 
fame,  lefs  dire<ft  yet  highly  probable  [j;  but  more 
copious  or  circumftantial  recitals  we  have  not.  The 
confcnt,  therefore,  between  St.  Paul's  fpeechcs  and 
letters,  is  in  this  refpefl  fufTiciently  exaft  :  and  the 
reafon  in  both  is  the  fame ;  namely,  that  the  mira- 
culous hiflory  was  all  along  prefuppofcd,  and  that 
the  queftion  which  occupied  the  fpcakcr's  and  the 
writer's  thoughts,  was  this :  whether,  allowing  the 
hifliory  of  Jefus  to  be  true,  he  was  upon  the  ftrength 
of  it,  to  be  received  as  the  promifed  MciTiati  ;  and, 
if  he  was,  what  were  the  confequences,  what  was 
the  obje£l  and  benefit  of  his  mifilon  ? 

The  general  obfervation  which  has  been  made 
upon  the  apoftolic  writings,  namely,  that  the  fubjeft, 
of  which  they  treated,  did  not  lead  them  to  any  di- 
re«5l  recital  of  the  Chri(l:ian  hiltory,  belongs  alfo  to 
the  writings  of  the  apoftolic  fathers.  T'he  epiftle  of 
Barnabas  is,  in  its  lubje(5l  and  general  compofition, 
much  like  the  epiftle  of  the  Flebrews  ;  an  allegorical 
application  of  divers  pafifages  of  the  Jewifli  hillory, 
of  their  law  and  ritual,  to  thofe  parts  of  the  Chrillian 
difpenfation,  in  which  the  author  perceived  a  refera- 
blance.  The  epiftle  of  Clement  was  written,  for 
the  fole  purpofe  of  quieting  certain  diiTenfions  that 

*   XX.  17.  f  xxiv.  10.  X  \'xv.  S. 

§    Gal.  iii.  5.      Rom.  xv.  T  B,  19.      2  Cor.  xii.  12. 

11    I  Cor.  ii.  4,  5.     Eph.  iii.  7.     Gal.  ii.  8.      i  TlulL  i.  5. 

D  d  3  hid 


4o6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

had  arifen  anion gft  the  members  of  the  church  of 
Corinth  ;  and  of  reviving,  in  their  minds,  that  tem- 
per and  fpirit  of  vi^hich  their  predeceflbrs  in  the  gof- 
pel  had  left  them  an  example.  The  work  of  Hermas 
is  a  vifion  ;  quotes  neither  the  Old  Teflament  nor 
the  New ;  and  merely  falls  now  and  then  into  the 
language,  and  the  mode  of  fpeech,  which  the  author 
had  read  in  our  gofpels.  The  epidles  of  Polycarp 
and  Ignatius  had,  for  their  principal  objcft,  the 
order  and  difcipline  of  the  churches  which  they  ad- 
dreifcd.  Yet  under  all  thefc  circumflances  of  difad- 
vantage,  the  great  points  of  the  Cbriftian  hiflory 
are  fully  recognized.  This  hath  been  (hown  in  its 
proper  place*.* 

There  is,  however,  another  clafs  of  writers,  to 
whom  the  anfwer  above  given,  viz.  the  unfaitable- 
nefs  of  any  fuch  appeals  or  references  as  the  objec- 
tion demands,  to  the  fubjcfts  of  which  the  writings 
treated,  does  not  apply;  and  thai  is,  the  clafs  of 
ancient  apologifis^  whofe  declared  defign  it  was,  to 
defend  Chriflianity,  and  to  give  t^he  reafons  of  their 
own  adherence  to  it.  It  is  nercflary^  therefore,  to 
enquire  how  the  matter  of  the  obje£lion  ftands  in 
thefe. 

The  moft  ancient  apologift,  of  whofe  works  we 
have  the  the  fmalltll  knowledge,  is  Quadratus. 
<>iadratus  lived  about  feventy  years  after  the  afcen- 
fion,  and  prefented  his  apology  to  the  emperor 
Adrian.  From  a  paffage  of  this  work,  preferved  in 
Eufebius,  it  appears,  that  the  author  did  dire£lly 
and  formally  appeal  to  the  miracles  of  Chrift,  and  in 
terms  as  exprefs  and  confident  as  we  could  defire. 
The  paffage,  (which  has  been  once  already  ftated), 
is  as  follows:  '  Ihe  works  of  our  Saviour  were 
*  always  confpicuous,  for  they  were  real;  both  they 

*  JPart  I,  c.  7. 

*  that 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  407 

^  that  were  healed,  and  ihey  that  were  raife.l  from 

*  the  dead,  were  feen,  not  only  when  they  wcie 
«  h-alcd  or  raifcd,  but  for  a  lon.gj  time  afterwards ; 
'  not  only  whilft  lie  dwelled  on  this  earth,  but  alfo 

•  after  his  departure,  and  for  a  :<TOod  while  afrer  .t ; 
«  infomuch  as  that  fome  of  them  have  reached  to  our 
'  times*.'     Nothing  can  be  more  rational  or  latis- 

faftory  than  this.  _    .,  .  .     -ri 

Tiiflin  Martyr,  the  next  of  the  ainflian  apologilts 
whofe  work  is  not  loft,  and  who  followed  quadratus 
at  the  diftance  of  about  thirty  years,  has  touched 
upon  palT^iges  of  Chrift's  hiftory  in  fo  rnany  places, 
that  a  tolerably  complete  account  of   Chnlt  s  lite, 
micht  be  colleaed  out  of  his  works.     In  the  follow- 
ing quotation,  he  afferts  the  performance  of  miracles 
bv  Chrift,  in  words   as  ftrong  and  pofitive  as  the 
language  poiTciTes  :  '  Chrift  healed  thofe  who  from 
«  their' birth  were  blind,  and  deaf,  and  lane  ;  caufing 
«  by  his  word,  one  to  leap,  another  to  hear    and  a 
'  third  to  fee;  and  having  raifed  the  dead,  and  caufed 
'  them  to  live,  he  by  his  works  excited  attention    and 
*  induced  the  m^n  of  that  age  to  know  him.    Who, 
'  however,  feeing  thefe  things  done,  faid  that  it  was 
«  a  magical   appearance  ;    and  dared  to  call  him  a 
'  magician  and  a  deceiver  of  the  peoplef.' 

In  hisfirft  apology t,  Ju^in  exprefsly  aftigns  the 
reafon  for  his  having  recourfe  to  the  argument  from 
prophecy,  rather  than  alleging  the  miracles  of  the 
Chriftian  hiftory:  which  reafon  was,  that  the  perfons 
with  whom  he  contended,  would  afcrihe  thefe  m.ra- 
cles  to  magic;  '  left  any  of  our  opponents  ftiould 
'  fay,  what'VuKlers,  but  that  he  who  is  called  (.hrilt 
'  by  us,  being  a  man  fprun-  from  men,  performed 
'  the  miracles  which  we  attributed  to  him  by  magical 

*  Euf.  Hift.  1.  iv.  c.  3.       t  Juft.  dial.  p.  252-  Ed.  Thirlby. 
t  Ap.  prim.  p.  48.  ib. 

D  4  *  ^t.* 


4o8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  art.'  The  fuggelling  of  this  reafon  meets,  as  I 
apprehend,  the  very  point  of  the  prcfrnt  objeftion  ; 
more  efpecially,  when  we  find  Jufliri  followed  in  it, 
by  other  writers  of  that  age.  Irenseus,  who  came 
about  forty  years  after  him.  norices  the  fame  evafion 
in  the  adveifaries  of  Chriftianity,  and  replies  to  it  by 
the  fame  argument ;  '  But,  if  they  fliall  fay,  that  the 
'  Lord  performed  rhrf  •  things  by  an  illufory  appear- 
'  ance,  ((pavr-jinaj^oc)  leading  thefe  obje^^ors  to  the  pro- 
'  phecies,  we  will  fliow  from  chem,  that  all  things  were 
'  thus  prediff-ed  concerning  him,  and  ftrifl'y  came  to 
'  pafs*.'  La£lantius,  who  lived  a  century  lower, 
delivers  the  fame  fentiment,  upon  the  fame  orcafion. 

*  He  performed  miracles- -we  mieht  have  fuppofed 
'  him  to  have  been  a  magician,  as  ye  f.iy,  and  as  the 
'  Jews  then  fuppofed,  if  all  the  prophets  had  not 
'^  with  one  fpirit  foretold,  that  Chrift  would  perform 
'  thefe  very  things-j-.* 

But  to  return  to  the  Chriflian  apologids  in  their 
order ;  Tertullian — -'■  That  perfon,  whom  the  Jews: 

*  had  vainly  imagined  from  the'  meannefs  of  his  ap- 

*  pearance,  to  be  a  mere  man,  they  afterwards,  in 
"  confequence  of  the  power  he  exerted,  confidered 

*  as  a  magician,  when  he,  with  one  word,  ejefted 

*  devils  out  of  the  bodies  of  men,  gave  fight  to  the 
^  blind,  cleanfed  the  leprous,  flrengthened  the  nerves 
-*  of  thofe  that  had  the  palfy,  and  laftly,  Vvith  one 
'  command,  refhored  the  dead  to  life  ;  vv'hen  he,  I 
^  fay,  made  the  very  elements  obey  him,  alTuaged 
^  the  florms,  walked  upon  the  feas,  demonftrating 

*  himfelf  to  be  the  word  of  God  J.* 

Next  in  the  catalogue  of  profcffed  apologifls  we 
may  place  Origen,  who,  it  is  well  known,  publifhed 
a  formal  defence  of  Chriftianity,  in  anfwer  to  Celfus, 

*  Ir.  1.  11.  c.  57.  f  Lacl.  v.  3. 

+  TprtuH.  Apolog.  p,  20.  Ed.  Priorii  Par.   1675. 

a  heathen 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ^oy 

a  heathen,  who  had  vritten  a  difcourfc  againfl  it.  I 
know  no  cxpreffions,  by  vrliich  a  plainer  or  more 
pofiiive  appeal  to  the  Chrifti.m  miracles  could  be 
made,  th:'n  the  cxpreflions  iifcd  by  Origen  ;  '  Un- 
«  doubtcdiy  we  do  think  him  to  be  the  ChriO,  and 
'  the  fon  of  God,  bccaufc  he  healed  the  lame  and 

*  the  blind  ;  aiui  we  are  the  more  confirmed  in  this 
'  perfuaficn,  by  what  is  written  in  the  prophecies, 
'  then  (hall  the  eyes  of  the  blind  be  opened,  and  the 

*  ears  of  the  deaf  Ihall  hear,  and  the  lame  man  lliall 

*  leap  as  an  hart.     But  that  he  alfo  raifed  the  dead, 

*  and  that  it  is  not  a  fiiftion  of  thofe  who  wrote  the 

*  Qofptls,  is  eviden[  from  hence,  that   if  it  had  been 

*  a  fiiStion,  there  woiil  J  have  been  many  recorded  to 
'  be  raif.d  up,  an:l  fach  as  had  been  a  Ion.';  time  in 

*  their   graves.       But,   if   not    being   a   fi(5lion,  few 

*  have  been  recorded  ;  for  inftance,  the  daughter  of 
'  the  rnlt  r  of  a  fyna<.;ooue,  of  whom  I  do  not  know 

*  why  he  faid,  (lie  is  not  dead  but  ilcepeth,  expref- 

*  fmg  fomething  peculiar  to  her,  not  common  to  all 
'  dead  perfons  ;  and  tlie  only  fon  of  a  widow,  on 
'  whom  he  had  compallion,  and  raifed  him  to  life, 

*  he  had  bid  the  bearer  of  the  corpfe  to  Hop  ;   and 

*  the  third,  Lazarus,  who  had  been  buried  four  days.' 
This  is  politivcly  to  ailert  the  mira-Jcs  of  Chrifl,  and 
it  is  alfo  to  comment  upon  them,  and  that  with  a 
confideralilc  degree  of  accuracy  and  candour. 

Id  another  pallage  of  the  fame  author*,  we  meet 
with  the  old  fohition  of  magic,  applied  to  the  mira- 
cles of  Chrift  by  the  adverfiries  of  the  religion. 
'  Celfus,'  faith  Origen,  *  well  knowing  what  great 
'  works  m^y  be  alleged  to  have  been  done  by  Jefus, 

*  pretends  to  grant  that  the  things  related  of  him  afc 

*  true  ;  fuch   as  healin:^   difcafes,  raifmg  the  dead, 

*  feeding   multitudes  with   a   few  loaves,   of  which 


^   Or.  con.  CcU".  V.h.  ii.  fee.  4S. 


large 


4IO  A  VIEW  OF  TPIE 

'  large  fragments  were  left.'  And  then  Celfus  gives, 
it  feems,  an  anfwer  to  thefe  proofs  of  our  Lord's 
miffion,  which,  as  Origen  underflood  it,  refolved  the 
phenomena  into  magic ;  for  Origen  begins  his  reply, 
by  obferving,  '  You  fee  that  Celfus,  in  a  manner, 
'  allows  that  there  is  fuch  thing  as  magic.*' 

It  appears  alfo  from  the  tellimony  of  St.  Jerome, 
that  Porphyry,  the  moft  learned  and  able  of  the 
heathen  writers  againfl  Chriftinnity,  reforted  to  the 
fame  folution  :  '  Unlefs,'  fays  he,  fpeaking  to  Vigi- 
lantius,  '  according  to  the  manner  of  the  gentiles, 
'  and  the  profane,  of  Porphyry  and  Eunomius,  you 
*-  pretend  that  thefe  are  the  tricks  of  demons. -|-' 

This  magic,  thefe  demons,  this  illufory  appear- 
ance, this  comparifon  with  the  tricks  of  jugglers,  by 
which  many  of  that  age  accounted  fo  eafily  for  the 
Chriftian  miracles,  and- which  anfwers  the  advocates 
of  Chrifttianity  often  thought  it  neceifary  to  refute 
by  arguments  drawn  from  other  topics,  and  particu- 
larly from  prophecy,  to  which,  it  feems,  thefe  folu- 
tions  did  not  apply,  we  now  perceive  to  be  grofs 
fubterfuges.  That  fuch  reafons  were  ever  ferioufly 
orged,  and  ferioufly  received,  is  only  a  proof,  what 
a  glofs  and  varnifli  fafliion  can  give  to  any  opinion. 

It  appears,  therefore,  that  the  miracles  of  Chrifl, 
onderftood,  as  we  underftand  them,  in  their  literal 
and  hiftorical  fenfe,  were  pofitively  and  precifcly 
aiferted  and  appealed  to  by  the  apologifts  for  Chrif- 
tranity ;  which  anfwers  the  allegation  of  the  objec- 
tion. 

1  am  ready,  however,  to  admit  that  the  ancient 
Chriftian  advocates  did  not  infifl:  upon  the  miracles 
in  argument,  fo  frequently  as  I  fliould  have  done. 
It  was  their  lot  to  contend  with  notions  of  magical 

*  Lard.  Jewlfh  and  Heath,  Tell.  Vol.  II.  p.  294,  ed.  quarto. 
f  Jerome  Coo.  Vigil. 

agency. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  411 

agency,  againfl  which  the  mere  production  of  the 
fafts  was  not  fuflic'ent  for  the  convincing  of  their 
adveifaries  ;  I  do  not  know  whether  they  themfelves 
thouo^In  it  quite  derifive  of  the  controverfy.  But 
fmce  it  is  proved,  I  conceive,  with  certainly,  that 
the  fparingnefs  with  which  they  appealed  to  mira- 
cles, was  owing:,  neither  to  their  ignorance,  nor  their 
doubt  of  the  f.i'5ts,  it  is,  at  any  rate,  an  objef^ion, 
not  to  the  truth  of  the  hiftory,  but  to  the  judgment 
of  its  defenders. 


CHAP.    VL 

Want  of  univerfality  in  the  knowledge  and  reception 
of  Cbrijlianity,  and  of  greater  clearnefs  in  the 
evidence. 

vJF  a  revelation  which  came  from  God, 
the  proof,  it  has  been  faid,  would  in  all  ages  be  fo 
public  and  manifeft,  that  part  of  the  human  fpecies 
would  remain  ignorant  of  it,  no  undcrftanding  could 
fail  of  being  convinced  by  it. 

The  advocates  of  Chriftianity  do  not  pretend, 
that  the  evidence  of  their  religion  poflefTes  thefe 
qualities.  They  do  nut  deny,  that  we  can  conceive 
it  to  be  within  the  compafs  of  divine  power,  to  have 
communicated  to  the  world  a  hi[;her  degree  of  alTu- 
rance,  and  to  have  given  to  his  communication  a 
flronger  and  more  extenfive  influence.  For  any 
thing  we  are  able  to  difcern,  GoJ  could  have  {o 
formed  men,  as  to  have  perceived  the  truths  of  reli- 
gion intuitively;  or  to  have  carried  on  a  communi- 
cation with  the  other  world  wliillt  they  lived  in  this  ; 

or 


412  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

or  to  have  feen  the  individuals  of  the  fpecies,  indead 
of  dying,  pafs  to  heaven  by  a  fenfible  tranilaiion* 
He  could  have  prefented  a  feparate  miracle  to  each 
man's  fenfes.  He  could  have  eftabliilied  a  {landing 
Biiracle.  He  could  have  caufed  miracles  to  be 
wrought  in  every  different  a«;e  and  country.  Thefc, 
and  many  more  methods,  which  we  may  imagine,  if 
we  once  eive  loofe  to  our  imaginations,  arc,  fo  far 
as  we  can  judge,  all  pra6licable. 

Ihe  queftion,  therefore,  is  not,  whether  Chrif- 
tianity  pofTelTes  the  hightft  pofFiblc  degree  of  evi- 
dence, but  whether  the  not  having  more  evidence, 
be  a  fufHcient  reafon  for  rcjefiiing  that  which  we 
have. 

Now,  there  appears  to  be  no  fairer  method  of 
judging,  concerning  any  difpenfation  which  is  al- 
leged to  come  from  God,  when  a  queflion  is  made 
whether  fuch  a  difpenfation  could  come  from  God  or 
not,  than  by  comparing  it  with  other  things,  which 
are  acknowledged  to  proceed  from  the  fame  council, 
and  to  be  produced  by  the  fame  agency.  If  the 
difpenfation  in  queflion  labour  under  no  other  de- 
feats, than  v.'hat  apparently  belong  to  other  difpen- 
fitions,  thefe  feeming  deFe(51:s  do  not  judify  us,  in 
ferting  aCde  the  proofs  which  are  offered  of  its  au- 
thenticitys  if  they  be  otherwife  entitled  to  credit. 

Throughout  that  order  then  of  nature,  of  which 
God  is  the  author,  what  we  find  is  a  fyflem  of  bene- 
Jtcence,  but  we  are  feldom  or  ever  able  to  make  out 
a  fyfccm  of  optimi/m,  1  mean,  that  there  are  few 
eafcs  in  which,  if  we  permit  ourfelves  to  range  in 
pofTibilities,  we  cannot  fuppofe  fomething  more  per- 
fcfir,  and  more  unoljc£iionable,  than  what  we  fee. 
The  rain  which  defcends  from  heaven,  is  confeffediy 
amongft  the  contrivances  of  the  Creator,  for  the 
fnfLcntation  of  the  animals  and  vegetables  which  fub- 

o 

fifl  upon  the  furface  of  the  earth.    \  et  how  partially 

and 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  413 

;md  irregularly  is  it  fupplied  ?    How  mU(  h  of  it  fulls 
upon  the  fe:i,  where  it  cun  be  of  no  ufe  ;  how  often  is 
ic  wanted  where  it  would  be  of  the  greateft  ?    What 
trails  (if  continent  are  rendered  deferts  by  the  karcity 
of  it  ?   Or,  nut  to  fpeak  of  extreme  caf.s,  how  much, 
fometimcs,  do  inh>ibiied  countries  faifer  by  iis  defici- 
ency or  delay  ? — We  could  imagine,  if  10  imagine 
were  our  bufmcfs,  the  matter  to  be  oiherwife  regu- 
hited.    We  could  imagine  ihowers  to  fall,  jult  where 
and  when  they  w?uld  do  good  ;  always  leafonable, 
every  where  fufricicnt ;  fo  diili  ibnted  as  not  to  leave 
a  field  upon  the  face  of  the  globe  fcorched  by  drought, 
or  even  a  plant  withering  for  the  lack  of  moifture^ 
Yet,  does  the  difference  between  the  real  c;if.'  and 
the  imagined  cafe,  or  the  feeming  inferiority  of  the 
one  to  the  other,  authorize  us  to  fay,  that  the  pre- 
fent  difpoiition  of  the  atmofphere,  is  not  amongft  the 
produdlions  or  the  defigns  of  the  Deity  ?     Does  it 
check  the  inference  which  we  draw  from  the  con- 
felled  beneficence  of  the  provifion  ?  or  does  it  make 
us  ceafe  to  admire  the  contrivance  ? — The  obferva- 
tion,  which  we  have  exemplified  in  the  fingle  inflancc 
of  the  rain  of  heaven,  may  be  repeated  concerning 
moil   of  the   phenomena   of  nature :    and  the  true 
conclufion  to  which  it  leads  is  this,  that  to  enquire 
what  the  Deity  might  have  done,  could  have  done, 
or,  as  we  even  f;)irietimcs  prcfume  to  Ipeak,  ought 
to  have  done,  or,  in  hypotlietical  cafes,  would  have 
done,  and  to  build  any  propofitions  upon  fuch  en- 
quiries againd  evidence  of  facts,  is  wholly  unv\Mi- 
rantable.     It  is  a  mode  of  reafoning  which  will   not 
do  in  natural  hiliory,  u'hich  will  not  Ao  in  natural 
religion,    which  cannot  therefore   be    applied  wich 
fafety  to  rt, 'elation.     It  may  have  fome  foundation, 
in  certain   fpccuhuive  a  priori  ideas  of  the  divine 
attributes ;  but  it  has  none  in  experience,  or  in  ana- 
logy.   The  general  character  of  the  works  of  nature 


1] 


414  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

is,  on  the  one  hand,  goodncfs  both  in  defign  and 
efFeft ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  a  liahiiiry  to  diffi- 
culty, and  to  objeflions,  if  fuch  objeftions  be  allowed, 
by  reafon  of  feeming  incompletenefs  or  uncertainry  In 
attaining  their  end.  Chriftianity  participates  of  this 
character.  The  true  fimilitude  between  nature  and 
revelation,  confifls  in  this ;  that  they  each  bear 
(Irong  marks  of  their  original ;  that  they  each  alfo 
bear  appearances  of  irregularity  and  defeat.  A  fyf- 
tern  of  drift  optimifm  may  neverthelefs  be  the  real 
fyftem  in  both  cafes.  But  what  I  contend  is,  that 
the  proof  is  hidden  from  us ;  that  we  ought  not  to 
expe6l  to  perceive  that  in  revelation,  which  we 
hardly  perceive  in  any  thing ;  that  beneficence,  of 
which  we  can  judge,  ought  to  fatisfy  us,  that  opti- 
mifm, of  which  we  ca?i?iot  judge,  ought  not  to  be 
fought  after.  We  can  judge  of  beneficence,  becaufe 
it  depends  upon  effects  which  we  experience,  and 
upon  the  relation  between  the  means  which  we  fee 
afiing,  and  the  ends  which  we  fee  produced.  We 
cannot  judge  of  optimifm,  becaufe  it  neceffirily  im- 
plies a  comparifon  of  that  which  is  tried,  with  that 
"which  is  not  tried  ;  of  confequences  which  we  fee, 
with  others  which  we  imagine,  and  concerning  many 
of  which,  it  is  more  probable  w^e  know  nothing  j 
concerning  fome,  that  we  have  no  notion. 

If  Chriilianity  be  compared  with  the  ftatc  and 
progrefs  of  natural  religion,  the  argument  of  the 
objecflor  will  gain  nothing  by  the  comparifon.  I 
remember  hearing  an  unbeliever  fay,  that,  if  God 
had  given  a  revelation,  he  would  have  written  it  in 
the  Ikies.  Are  the  truths  of  natural  religion  written 
in  the  fivies,  or  in  a  language  which  every  one  reads i^ 
or  is  this  the  cafe  with  the  mod  ufeful  arts,  or 
the  moft  necelTdry  fciences  of  human  life  ?  Arti 
.Otaheitean  or  an  Efquimaux  knows  nothing  of 
Chriftianity ;  does  he  know  more  of  the  principles 

of 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         415 

of  dc'ifm  or  morality  ?  which,  notwithftanding  his 
ignorance,  are  neither  untrue,  nor  unimportant,  nor 
uncertain.  Th.e  exigence  of  the  Deity  is  left  to  be 
colle*n:ed  from  obfervations,  which  every  man  doc5 
not  make,  which  every  man,  perhaps,  is  not  capa- 
ble of  making.  Can  it  be  argued,  that  God  does 
not  cxift,  becaufe,  if  he  did,  he  would  let  11?  fee  hiin- 
felf,  or  difcover  himfelf  to  mankind  by  proofs,  (fiKh 
as,  we  may  think,  the  nature  of  the  fubje£t  merit- 
ed), which  no  inadvertency  could  mifs,  no  prejudice 
withftand  ? 

If  Chriftianity  be  regarded  as  a  providential  in- 
ftrnment  for  the  melioration  of  mankind,  its  progrefs 
and  diffufion  refembles  that  of  other  caufes,  by 
which  human  life  is  improved.  The  diverfity  is  not 
greater,  nor  the  advance  more  flow  in  religion,  than 
we  find  it  to  be  in  learning,  liberty,  government, 
laws.  The  Deity  hath  never  touched  the  order  of 
nature  in  vain.  The  Jewifli  reli^jion  produced  great 
and  permanent  effe»fts :  the  Chriftian  religion  hath 
done  the  fame.  It  hath  difpofed  the  world  to  amend- 
ment, it  hath  put  things  in  a  train.  It  is  by  no 
means  improbable,  that  it  may  become  univerfdl ; 
and  that  the  world  may  continue  in  that  llate  fo 
long,  as  that  the  duration  of  its  reign  may  bear  a 
vaft  proportion  to  the  time  of  its  partial  influence. 

When  we  argue  concerning  Chriftianity,  that  it 
muft  necefTarily  be  true,  becaufe  it  is  beneficial,  we 
go  perhaps  too  far  on  one  fide  :  and  we  certainly  go 
too  far  on  the  other,  when  we  conclude  that  it  mud- 
be  falfe,  becaufe  it  is  not  fo  ellicacious  a"?  we  could 
have  fuppofed.  The  quefiion  of  its  trut'a  is  to  be 
tried  upon  its  proper  evidence,  without  referring 
much  to  this  fort  of  argument,  on  either  fide.  '  The 
'  evidence,'  as  Bifliop  Butl-r  hath  rightly  obfcrved, 
'  depends  upon  the  judgment  we  form  of  human 
*  condud,   under  given   rircumdanccs,  of  wiiich  it 

*   IV.ZV 


4i5  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

'  may  be  prefumed  that  we  know  fomething ;  tlic 
'  obje£lion  Hands  upon  the  fuppofed  conduft  of  the 
'  Deity,  under  relations  with  which  we  are  not  ac- 
'  quainted.' 

What  would  be  the  real  efFc^t  of  that  overpow- 
ering evidence  which  our  advcrfaries  require  in  a 
revekition,  it  is  diificuk  to  forctcl ;  at  leall,  we  mufl 
fpeak  of  it  as  of  a  difpenfation,  of  which  we  have 
no  experience.  Some  confequences  however  wouki, 
it  is  probable,  attend  this  oeconony,  which  do  not 
feem  to  befit  a  revelation  th,.t  proceeds  from  God. 
One  is,  that  irrefiftible  proof  would  rellrain  the  vo- 
luntary powers  too  much ;  Vv'ould  not  anfwer  the 
purpofe  of  trial  and  probation  ;  would  call  for  no 
cxercife  of  caiiduur,  ferioiifnefs,  humility,  enquiry; 
no  fubmiffion  of  paiTions,  interelh,  and  prejudices, 
to  moral  evidence  and  to  probable  truth  ;  no  habits 
of  reflexion  ;  none  of  that  previous  defire  to  learn, 
and  to  obey  the  will  of  God,  which  forms  perhaps 
the  teft  and  merit  of  the  virtuous  principle,  and 
which  induces  men  to  attend,"  with  care  and  reve- 
rence, to  every  credible  intimation  of  that  will,  and 
to  rcfign  prefent  advantages  and  prefent  pleafures  to 
any  reafonable  expeflation  of  propitiating  his  favour. 
'  Men's  moral  probation  may  be,  whether  they  will 
*  take  due  care  to  inform  themfclves  by  impartial 
confideration  ;  and,  afterwards,  whether  they  will 
act  as  the  cafe  requires,  upon  the  evidence  which 
'  they  have.  And  this,  we  find  by  experience,  is 
'  often  cur  probation  in  our  temporal  capacity*.' 

II.  Thefe  modes  of  communication  would  leave 
no  place  for  the  admilTion  of  internal  evidence ; 
which  ought,  perhaps,  to  bear  a  confiderable  part 
in  the  proof  of  every  revelation,  becaufe  it  is  a  fpe- 
cies  of  evidence,  which  applies  itfelf  to  the  know- 


Butier'a  analoe;v,  Part  ii.  c.  vi. 


ledge. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         417 

ledge,  love,  and  pra(5lice  of  virtue,  and  which  ope- 
rates in  pn^portion  to  the  degree  of  thofe  qualities 
which  it  finds  in  the  perfon  whom  it  addrelTes.  Men 
of  good  difpofitions,  amongfl:  Chriftians,  are  greatly 
aftefted  by  the  impreffion  which  the  fcriptures  them- 
felvcs  make  upon  their  minds.  Their  conviction  is 
much  ftrengthened  by  thefe  impreflions.  And  this 
perhaps  was  intended  to  be  one  cfFcft  to  be  produced 
by  the  religion.  It  is  Hkewife  true,  to  whatever 
caufe  we  afcribe  it,  (for  1  am  not  in  this  work  at 
liberty  to  introduce  the  Chriflian  doctrine  of  grace 
or  alTiftance,  or  the  Chriflian  promife,  '  that,  if  any 
'  man  will  do  his  will,  he  (hall  know  of  the  doftrine, 
'  whether  it  be  of  God*),'  it  is  true,  I  fay,  that 
they  who  fincerely  a6l,  or  fmcerely  endeavour  to 
aft,  according  to  what  they  believe,  that  is,  accord- 
ing to  the  juft  refult  of  the  probabilities,  or,  if  you 
pleafe,  the  poiTibilities  in  natural  and  revealed  reli- 
gion, which  they  themfelves  perceive,  and  accord- 
ing to  a  rational  eftimate  of  confequences,  and, 
above  all,  according  to  the  juft  effeft  of  thofe  prin- 
ciples of  gratitude  and  devotion,  which  even  the 
view  of  nature  generates  in  a  well  ordered  mind, 
feldom  fail  of  proceeding  farther.  This  alfo  may 
have  been  exaftly  what  was  defigned. 

Whereas  may  it  not  be  f;tid,  that  irrefiftible  evi- 
dence would  confound  all  characters,  and  all  difpo- 
fitions ?  Would  fubvert,  rather  than  promote,  the 
true  purpofe  of  the  divine  councils,  which  is  not  to 
produce  obedience  by  a  force  little  fliort  of  mecha- 
nical conftraint,  (which  obedience  would  be  regula- 
rity not  virtue,  and  would  hardly  perhaps  ditFer  from 
that  which  inanimate  bodies  pay  to  the  laws  imprelT- 
cd  upon  their  nature),  but  to  treat  moral  agents 
agreeably  to  what  they  are  j  which  is  done,  when 

*  John  vii.   17. 

E  e  light 


4i8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

light  and  motives  arc  of  fuch  kinds,  and  are  imparr- 
cd  in  fuch  meafures,  that  the  influence  of  them  de* 
pends  upon  the  recipients  themfelves  ?  '  It  is  not 
'  meet  to  govern  rational  free  agents  in  via  by  fight 
^  and  fenfe.  It  would  be  no  trial  or  thanks  to  the 
'  mod  fenfual  wretch  to  forbear  finning  if  heaven 
'  and  hell  were  open  to  his  fight.     That  fpiritual 

*  vifion  and  fruition  is  our  (late  in  patria,*  (Bax- 
ter's reafons,  p.  357.)  There  maybe  truth  in  this 
thought,  though  roughly  exprefled.  Few  things 
are  more  improbable  than  thai  we  (the  human  fpe- 
cies)  fliould  be  the  higheft  order  of  beings  in  the 
univerfe  ;  that  animated  nature  fliould  afcend  from 
the  lowefl  reptile  to  us,  and  all  at  once  (lop  there. 
If  there  be  clafTes  above  us  of  rational  intelligences, 
clearer  manifeftations  may  belong  to  them.  This 
piay  be  one  of  the  diftinftions.  And  it  may  be  one, 
to  which  we  ourfelvcs  hereafter  fliall  attain. 

III.  But  thirdly  ;  may  it  not  alfo  be  alked,  whe- 
ther the  perfect  difplay  of  a  future  (late  of  exiflence, 
would  be  compatible  with  the  activity  of  civil  life, 
and  with  the  fuccefs  of  human  affairs  ?  I  can  eafily 
conceive  that  this  impreffion  may  be  overdone  ;  that 
ir  may  fo  feize  and  fill  the  thoughts,  as  to  leave  no 
place  for  the  cares  and  offices  of  men's  feveral  fta- 
tions,  no  anxiety  for  wordly  profperity,  or  even  for 
a  worldly  provifion,  and,  by  confequence,  no  fuffi- 
cient  flimulus  to  fecular  induilry.  Of  the  firfl:  Chrif- 
tians  wc:  read,  '  that  all  that  believed  were  together, 

*  and  had  all  things  common  ;  and  fold  their  poflef- 
'  fions  and  goods,  and  parted  them  to  all  men,  as 
'  every  man  had  need  ;  and  continuing   daily,  with 

*  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from 
'  houfe  ro  h'ufe,  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladnefs 

*  iind  fmglencfs  ot  heart*.'      This  was   extremely 

*  Ads  ii.  44 — 46. 

natural. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.         419 

natural,  ;ia.i  jiifl  what  might  be  cxpe(n:cd,  from  mi- 
raculous evic'eii'-C  coming  with  full  force  upon  the 
ftnfes  of  mankind  :  but  I  much  doubt,  whether,  if 
this  (late  ot  min.l  had  been  univerfal,  or  long  conti- 
nued, the  bufinef>  of  the  world  could  have  gone  on. 
The  neceflary  arts  of  fecial  life  would  have  been 
lirtlc  cultivated.  The  plough  and  the  loom  would 
have  flood  flill.  Agriculture,  manufactures,  trade, 
and  navigation,  would  not,  1  think,  have  flouriftied, 
if  they  could  have  been  exercifed  at  all.  Men  would 
have  addiCled  thcmfclves  to  contemplative  and  afcetic 
lives,  inflead  of  lives  of  bufinefs  and  of  ufeful  in- 
duflry.  We  obferve  that  St.  Paul  found  it  necef- 
fary,  frequently  to  recal  his  converts  to  the  ordinary 
labours  and  domeftic  duties  of  their  condition  ;  and 
to  give  them,  in  his  own  example,  a  kffon  of  con- 
tented application  to  their  worldly  employments. 

By  the  manner  in  which  the  religion  is  now  pro- 
pofed,  a  great  portion  of  the  human  fpecies  is  ena- 
bled, and  of  thefe,  nmhitudes  of  every  generation 
are  induced  to  feek  and  to  effe£luate  their  falvation 
through  the  medium  of  Chriftianiry,  without  inter- 
ruption of  the  profperity,  or  of  the  regular  courfe  of 
human  affairs. 


Ee  2  CHAP. 


42^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

CHAP.    VI. 

The  fuppofed  EffeBs  of  ^hrifiianity. 


X  HAT  a  religion,  which,  uader  every 
form  in  which  it  is  taught,  holds  forth  the  final  re- 
ward of  virtue,  and  punifliment  of  vice,  and  pro- 
pofes  thofe  diftinftions  of  virtue  and  vice,  which  the 
wifeft:  and  mofl  cultivated  part  of  mankind  confefs  to 
be  juft,  Ihould  not  be  believed,  is  very  poffible ; 
but  that,  fo  far  as  it  is  believed,  it  (hould  not  pro- 
duce any  good,  but  rather  a  bad  efFeft  upon  public 
happineis,  is  a  propofition,  which  it  requires  very 
flrong  evidence  to  render  credible.  Yet  many  have 
been  found  to  contend  for  this  paradox,  and  very 
confident  appeals  have  been  made  to  hiftory,  and  to 
obfervation,  for  the  truth  of  it. 

In  the  conclufions,  however,  which  thefe  writers 
draw,  from  what  they  call  experience,  two  fources, 
I  think,  of  miflake,  may  be  perceived. 

One  is,  that  they  look  for  the  influence  of  religion 
in  the  wrong  place  : 

The  other,  that  they  charge  Chrifl:ianity  with 
many  confequenees,  for  which  it  is  not  refponfible. 

I.  The  influence  of  religion  is  not  to  be  fought 
for,  in  the  councils  of  princes,  in  the  debates  or  re- 
iolutions  of  popular  aflfemblies,  in  the  conduft  of 
governments  towards  their  fubje£ls,  or  of  ft:ates  and 
fovcreigns  towards  one  another,  of  conquerors  at 
the  head  of  their  armies,  or  of  parties  intriguing 
for  power  at  home,  (^topics,  which  alone  almofl  oc- 
cupy ttic  attention,  and  fill  the  pages  of  hiftory), 

but 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  421 

but  rauft  be  perceived,  if  perceived  at  all,  in  the 
filcm  courfe  of  private  and  domeftic  life.    Nay  more; 
€ven  there  its  influence  may  not  be  very  obvious  to 
obfcrvation.     If  it  check,  in  fome  degree,  pcrfonal 
diffokitenefs,  if  it  beget  a  general  probity  in  the 
tranfa£lion  of  bufmefs,  if  it  produce  foft  and  humane 
manners  in  the  mafs  of  the  community,  and  occafional 
exertions  of  laborious  or  expenfive  benevolence  in  a 
few  individuals,  it  is  all  the  eiFeft  which  can  offer 
itfelf  to  external  notice.     The  kingdom  of  Heaven 
is  within  us.     That  which  is  the  fubftance  of  the 
religion,  its  hopes  and  confolations,  its  intermixture 
with  the  thoughts  by  day  and  by  night,  the  devotion 
of  the  heart,    the  control  of  appetite,    the  fteady 
direftion  of  the  will  to  the  commands  of  God,  is 
neceffarily  invifible.     Yet  upon   thefe  depends  the 
virtue,  and  the  happinefs,  of  millions.     This  caufe 
renders  the  reprefentations  of  hiftory,  with  refpeft 
to   religion,   defeftive  and  fallacious,  in  a  greater 
degree  than  they  are  upon  any  other  fubjeft.     Reli- 
gion operates  mod   upon  thofe  of  whom  hiflory 
knows  the  leaft: ;  upon  fathers  and  mothers  in  their 
families,  upon  men  fervants  and  maid  fervants,  upon 
the  orderly  tradefraan,  the  quiet  villager,  the  manu- 
fa£lurer  at  his  loom,  the  hufbandaian  in  his  fields. 
Amongft  fuch  its  influence  colleftively  may  be  of 
inefl:imable  value,  yet  its  effefts  in  the  mean  time 
little,  upon  thofe  who  figure  upon  the  ftage  of  the 
world.     They  may  know  nothing  of  it ;  they  may 
believe  nothing  of  it ;  they  may  be  aftuated  by  mo- 
tives  more  impetuous  than  thofe  which  religion  is 
able  to  excite.      It  cannot,  therefore,  be  thought 
flrange,  that  this  influence  fliould  elude  the  grafp 
and  touch  of  public  hiftory  ;  for  what  is  public  hif- 
tory,  but  a  regift:er  of  the  fucceflVs  and  difappoint- 
ments,  the  vices,  the  follies,  and  the  quarrels,  of 
thofe  who  engage  in  contentions  for  power  ? 

E  c  3  I  will 


422  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

I  will  add,  that  much  of  this  influence  may  be  felt 
in  times  of  public  diftrefs,  and  little  of  it  in  times  of 
public  wealth  and  fecurity.  This  alfo  increafes  the 
uncertainty  of  any  opinions  that  we  draw  from  hif- 
torical  reprefentations.  The  influence  of  Chrifti- 
anity  is  commenfurate  with  no  effects  which  hiftory 
ftutes.  We  do  not  pretend  that  it  has  any  fuch  ne- 
ceffary  and  irrefiftible  power  over  the  affairs  of  na- 
tions, as  to  furmount  the  force  of  other  caufes. 

The  Chriftian  religion  alfo  afts  upon  public  ufages 
and  inftitutions,  by  an  operation  which  is  only  fecon- 
dary  and  indireft.  Chriftianity  is  not  a  code  of  civil 
law.  It  can  only  reach  public  inftitutions  through 
private  character.  Now  its  influence  upon 'private 
charafter  may  be  confiderable,  yet  many  public 
ufages  and  inflitutions,  repugnant  to  its  principles 
may  remain.  To  get  rid  of  thefe,  the  reigning  part 
of  the  community  mud  aft,  and  aft  together.  But 
it  may  be  long  before  the  perfons,  who  compofe 
this  body,  be  fufficiently  touched  with  the  Chriflian 
charafter,  to  join  in  the  fuppreffion  of  praftices,  to 
which  they  and  the  public  have  been  reconciled,  by 
that  which  will  reconcile  the  human  mind  to  any 
thine,  habit  and  intereft.  Neverthelefs,  the  effefts 
of  Chriftianity,  even  in  this  view,  have  been  impor- 
tant. It  has  mitigated  the  conduft  of  war,  and  the 
treatment  of  captives.  It  has  foftened  the  adminif- 
tration  of  dcfpotic,  or  of  nominally  dcfpotic  govern- 
ments. It  has  aboliihed  polygamy.  It  has  reftrain- 
ed  the  licentioufnefs  of  divorces.  It  has  put  an  end 
to  the  expofure  of  children,  and  the  immolation  of 
Haves.    It  has  fuppreffed  the  combats  of  gladiators*, 

*  Lipfius  affirms,  (Sat.  B.  I.  c.  12.)  that  the  gladlatorical 
fliows  fometimes  cod  Europe  twenty  or  thirty  thoufand  lives 
in  a  month ;  and  that  not  only  the  men,  but  even  the  women 
of  all  ranks,  were  paffionately  fond  of  thefe  fhows.  See  Bifhop 
Porteus's  Sermon  XIIL 

and 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  423 

<ind  the  impurities  of  religious  rircs.  It  has  banilh- 
ed,  i^  not  unnatural  vices,  at  lead  the  toleration  of 
them.  It  has  greatly  meliorated  the  condition  of 
ihe  laborious  part,  that  is  to  fay,  of  the  mafs  of 
every  community,  by  procuring  for  them  a  day  of 
weekly  red.  In  all  countries,  in  which  it  is  profcfi'- 
-ed,  it  has  produced  numerous  eftabliflimcnis  for  the 
relief  of  ficknefs  and  poverty  ;  and,  in  fome,  a  re- 
gular and  general  provifion  by  law.  It  has  tri- 
umphed over  the  flavery  ertablilhtil  in  the  Roman 
empire :  it  is  contending,  and,  i  trull,  will  one 
day  prevail,  againft  the  worfc  flavery  of  the  Well 
Indies. 

A  Chrirtian  writer*,  fo  early  as  in  the  fecond 
century,  has  tellified  the  refiftance,  which  Chrifli- 
anity  made  to  wicked  and  licentious  practices,  though 
cflabliflied  by  law  and  by  public  ufage.  '  Neither 
'  in  Parthia,  do  the  Chriftians,  though  Parthians, 
'  life  polygamy  ;  nor  in  Perfia,  though  IV-rfians,  do 
*  they  marry  their  own  daughters  ;  nor,  among  the 
'  Ba6tri  or  Galli,  do  they  violate  the  fanftity  of  mar- 
'  riage ;  nor,  wherever  they  are,  do  they  fuffer 
'  themfclves  to  be  overcome,  by  ill-conftiiutcd  laws 
'  and  manners/ 

Socrates  did  not  dedroy  the  idolatry  of  Athens, 
or  produce  the  flighted  revolucion  in  the  manners 
of  his  country. 

But  the  argument  to  which  I  recur  is,  that  the 
benefit  of  religion  being  felt  chiefly  in  the  oblturity 
of  private  fl:ations,  neccflarily  efcapes  the  obfervation 
of  hiftory.  From  the  firll:  general  notification  of 
Chrifliianiiy  to  the  prefcnt  day,  there  have  been  in 
every  age  many  mi! Lions,  whofe  names  were  never 
licard  ot,  made  better  by  it,  not  only  in  their  con- 
duft,  but  in  their  difi")ofition  ;   and  happier,  n(3t  fo 

*   Bardcfancs  ap.  Eufcb.  pracp.  evang.  vi.  10. 

E  e  4  much 


424  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

much  in  their  external  circumftances,  as  in  that 
which  is  inter  pr(Xcordia^  in  that  which  alone  de- 
ferves  the  name  of  happinefs,  the  tranquility  and 
confolation  of  their  thoughts.  It  has  been,  fince 
its  commencement,  the  author  of  happinefs  and  vir- 
tue, to  millions  and  millions  of  the  human  race. 
Who  is  there  that  would  not  wifti  his  fon  to  be  a 
Chriftian  ? 

Chriftianity  alfo,  in  every  country,  in  which  it  is 
profcfl'ed,  hath  obtained  a  fenfible,  although  not  a 
complete  influence,  upon  the  public  judgment  of 
morals.  And  this  is  very  important.  For  without 
the  occafi6nal  correftion  which  public  opinion  re- 
ceives, by  referring  to  fome  fixed  ftandard  of  mora- 
lity, no  man  can  foretel  into  what  extravagancies  it 
might  wander.  AlTaffination  might  become  as  ho- 
nourable as  duelling.  Unnatural  crimes  be  account- 
ed as  venial  as  fornication.  In  this  way  it  is  poiFible, 
that  many  may  be  kept  in  order  by  Chriftianity, 
who  are  not  themfelves  Chriftians.  They  may  be 
guided  by  the  reftitude  which  it  communicates  to 
public  opinion.  Their  confcienccs  may  fuggeft  their 
duty  truly,  and  they  may  afcribe  thefe  fuggeftions 
to  a  moral  fenfe,  or  to  the  native  capacity  of  the 
human  intellecl,  v/hen  in  faft  they  are  nothing  more, 
than  the  public  opinion  reflefted  from  their  own 
minds  ;  an  opinion,  in  a  confiderable  degree,  modi- 
fied by  the  leffons  of  Chriftianity.     '  Certain  it  is, 

*  and  this  is  a  great  deal  to  fay,  that  the  generality, 
'  even  of  the  meaneft  and  mod  vulgar  and  ignorant 
'  people,  have  truer  and  worthier  notions  of  God, 

*  more  juft  and  right  apprehenfions  concerning  his 
'  attributes  and  perfe(5i:ions,  a  deeper  fenfe  of  the 

*  difference  of  good  and  evil,  a  greater  regard  to 
'  moral  obligations  and  to  the  plain  and  mofl  nccef- 

*  fary  duties  of  life,  and  a  more  firm  and  univerfal 
^  expeflation  of  a  future  flate  of  rewards  and  pu 


'  nifliraents. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  42^ 

*  nifhmenrs,    than,  in    any   lieaihen    country,    any 
'  confiderable  number  of  men  were  found  to  have: 

*  had*.* 

After  all,  the  value  of  Chriftianity  is  not  to  be 
appreciated  by  its  temporal  effc(fls.  The  objeft  of 
revelation  is  to  influence  human  conduct  in  thi^  life ; 
but  what  is  gained  to  hanpinefs  by  that  influence, 
can  only  be  cftimated  by  taking  in  the  whole  of  hu- 
man exiftence.  Then,  as  hath  already  been  ob- 
ferved,  there  may  be  alfo  great  confequenccs  of 
Chriftianity,  which  do  not  bclouG;  to  it  as  a  revela- 
tion. The  effefts  upon  human  falvation,  of  the 
miflion,  of  the  death,  of  the  prefent,  of  the  future 
agency  of  Chrift,  may  be  univerfal,  though  the  reli- 
gion be  not  univerfaliy  known. 

Secondly,  I  affcrt  that  Chriflianity  is  charged 
with  many  confequcnces,  for  which  it  is  not  refpon- 
fible.  I  believe  that  religious  motives  have  had  no 
more  to  do,  in  the  formation  of  nine-tenths  of  the 
intolerant  and  perfecuting  laws,  which  in  different 
countries  have  been  cffabliflied  upon  the  fubjefl  of 
religion,  than  they  have  had  to  do  in  England  with 
the  making  of  the  game  laws.  Thcfe  ineafures,  al- 
though they  have  the  Chriftian  religion  for  their 
fubjeft,  are  refolvable  into  a  principle,  which  Chrif- 
tianity  certainly  did  not  plant,  (and  which  Chrifli- 
anity could  not  univerfaliy  condemn,  becaufe  it  is 
not  univerfaliy  wrong),  which  principle  is  no  other 
than  this,  that  they  who  are  in  poflcllion  of  power 
do  what  they  can  to  keep  it.  Chriflianity  is  anfwer- 
able  for  no  patt  of  the  mifchief  which  has  been 
brought  upon  the  world  by  perfecution,  except  that 
which  has  arifen  from  confcientious  perfccutors. — 
Now  thefe  perhaps  have  never  been,  cither  nume- 
rous, or  powerful.     Nor  is  it   to  Chriflianity  that 

*  Clark-,  ev.  nat.  rev.  p.  208.  cd,  v. 

even 


/ 


4i6  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

€ven  ihcir  miflake  can  be  fairly  imputed.  They" 
have  been  mifled  by  an  error,  not  properly  ChriOian 
or  religious,  but  by  an  error  in  their  moral  philofo- 
phy.  They  purfued  the  particular,  without  advert- 
ing to  the;  general  confequence.  Believing  certain 
articles  of  faith,  or  a  certain  mode  of  worfliip,  to 
be  highly  conducive,  or  perhaps  eflential  to  falvation, 
they  thought  themfclves  bound,  to  bring  all  they 
could,  by  every  means,  into  them.  And  this  they 
thought,  M'ithout  confidering  what  would  be  the 
effeft  of  fuch  a  conclufion,  when  adopted  amongft 
mankind  as  a  general  rule  of  conduft.  Had  there 
been  in  the  New  Teftament,  what  there  are  in  the 
Koran,  precepts  atithorizing  coercion  in  the  propa- 
pagation  of  the  religion,  and  the  ufe  of  violence  to- 
wards unbelievers,  the  cafe  would  have  been  differ- 
ent. This  diflin^lion  could  not  have  been  taken,  or 
this  defence  made. 

I  apologize  for  no  fpccies  nor  degree  of  perfccu- 
tion,  but  I  think  that  even  the  hCt  has  been  exag- 
gerated. The  flave  trade  ded'roys  more  in  a  year, 
than  the  inqnifiiion  docs  in  a  hundred,  or  perhaps 
hath  done  lince  its  foundation. 

If  it  be  objected,  as  1  apprehend  it  will  be,  that 
Chriflianity  is  chargeable  with  every  mifchief,  of 
which  It  has  been  the  occafion,  though  not  the  mo- 
tive ;  I  anfwer,  that,  if  the  malevolent  pallions  be 
there,  the  world  will  never  want  cccafions.  The 
noxious  element  will  always  find  a  conduftor.  Any 
point  will  produce  an  explofion.  Did  the  applauded 
intercommunity  of  the  pagan  theology  preferve  the 
peace  of  the  Roman  world?  Did  it  prevent  oppref- 
lions,  proicriptions,  maffacres,  devaftations  ?  Was 
i[  bigotry  that  carried  Alexander  into  the  Eafl,  or 
brought  Cefar  into  Gaul  ?  Are  the  nations  of  the 
world,  into  which  Chriilianity  hath  not  found  its 
way,  or  from  which  it  hath  been  baniHied,  free  from 

conien- 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  427 

Content'ons  ?  Arr  their  contentioir^  Icfs  ruinous  and 
fanouin.iry  ;  Is  it  owine  to  Clirillianity,  or  to  the 
want  of  it,  that  the  fined  regions  of  the  Kaft,  the 
countries  iiitcr  qiiatuor  maria^  the  peninfuia  of 
Greece,  together  with  a  great  part  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean coaft,  are  at  this  day  a  defcrt ;  that  the  banks 
of  the  Nile,  whole  conllantly  renewed  fertility  is  not 
to  be  impaired  by  ncgleft,  or  deftroyeJ  by  ihe  ra- 
vages of  war,  ferves  only  for  the  fccne  of  a  fero- 
cious anarchy,  or  the  fu'^ply  of  iinecafmg  hoftilitics. 
Euro;;e  itfelf  has  known  no  religious  wars  ior  lomc 
centuries,  yet  has  hardly  ever  been  without  war. 
Are  the  calainities,  which  ar  this  (lay  afflict  it,  to  be 
imputed  to  Chriftianiiy  ?  Hath  Poland  fillen  by  a 
ChrilUan  crufade  ?  Hath  the  overthrow  in  France, 
of  civil  order  and  fccurity,  been  effected  by  the  vo- 
taries of  our  religion,  or  by  the  foes  ?  Aniongd  the 
awful  leflbns,  which  the  crimes  and  the  miferies  of 
that  country  afford  to  mankind,  this  is  one,  that,  in 
order  to  be  a  perlecutor  it  is  not  neceffary  to  b>c  a 
bigot ;  that  in  rage  and  cruelty,  in  mifchief  and  de- 
ftruftion,  fanaticifm  itfelf  can  be  outdone  by  infi- 
delity. 

Finally,  if  war,  as  it  is  now  carried  on  between 
nations,  produce  Icfs  miferv  and  ruin  than  formerly, 
we  are  indebted  perhaps  to  Chrillianity  for  the 
change,  more  than  to  any  other  caufe.  Viewed 
therefore  even  in  its  relation  to  this  fubje*^,  it  ap- 
pears to  have  been  of  advantadje  to  the  world.  It 
hath  humanifed  the  condu(St  of  wars  •,  it  hath  ccafed 
to  excite  them. 

The  dificrenccs  of  opinion,  that  have  in  all  ages 
prevailed  amonglf  Chridians,  fall  very  much  within 
the  alternative  which  has  been  Itated.  If  we  jKlTcf- 
fed  the  difpofition,  which  Chriftianity  lab.ours,  above 
all  other  qualities,  to  inculcate,  thefe  differences 
would  do  little  harm.    If  that  difpofition  be  wanting, 

other 


4:^8  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

other  caufes,  even  were  thefe  abfent,  would  conti- 
nually rifif.  up,  to  call  lonh  the  malevolent  paffions 
into  aftion.  Differences  of  opinion,  when  accom- 
panied with  mutual  charity,  which  Chriftianity  for- 
bids them  to  violate,  are  for  the  moft  part  innocent, 
and  for  fome  purpofes  ufcful.  They  promote  en- 
quiry, difcuffion,  and  knowledge.  They  help  to 
keep  up  an  attention  to  religious  fubjefts,  and  a 
concern  about  them,  which  might  be  apt  to  die  away 
in  the  calm  and  filence  of  univerfal  agreement.  I 
do  not  know  that  it  is  in  any  degree  true,  that  the 
influence  of  reiif?ion  is  the  greateil,  where  there  are 
the  feweft  dilTenters. 


CHAP.    VI] . 


The  CnnchfiGU, 


N  religion,  as  In  every  other  fubje^  of 
human  reafoning,  much  depends  upon  the  order  in 
which  we  difpofe  our  enquiries.  A  man  who  takes 
up  a  fydem  of  divinity  v/ith  a  previous  opinion  that 
eicher  every  part  muft  be  true,  or  the  whole  falfe, 
approaches  the  difcuffion  with  great  difadvantage. 
No  other  fyilem,  v/hich  is  fuunded  upon  moral  evi- 
tlence,  would  bear  to  be  treated  in  the  fame  manner. 
Neverthelefs,  in  a  certain  degree,  we  are  all  intro- 
duced to  our  religious  fludies  under  this  prejudica- 
tion ;  and  it  cannot  be  avoided.  The  weaknefs  of 
tlie  human  judgment  in  the  early  part  of  youth  yet 
its  extreme  fufceptibility  of  impreffion,    renders  it 

neceffary 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITr.         429 

nccelTary  to  furnifli  It  with  fome  opinions,  and  with 
fome  principles,  or  otlier.  Or  indeed,  without 
much  cxprefs  care,  or  much  endeavour  for  this  pur- 
pofe,  the  tendency  of  the  mind  of  man,  to  afiimilare 
itfcif  to  the  habits  of  thinking  and  fpeaking  which 
prevail  around  him,  produces  the  fame  effeft.  That 
indifferency  and  fufpenfe,  that  waiting  and  equili- 
brium of  the  judgment,  which  fome  require  in  reli- 
gious matters,  and  which  fome  would  wifli  to  be 
aimed  at  in  the  conduct  of  education,  are  impoflible 
to  be  prcfcrvcd.  They  are  not  given  to  the  condi- 
tion of  hum:in  life. 

It  is  a  conft:aucnce  of  this  fituation  that  the  doc- 
trines of  religion  come  to  us  before  the  proofs  ;  and 
come  to  us  with  that  mixture  of  explications  and  in- 
ferences from  which  no  public  creed  is,  or  can  be, 
free.  And  the  effect  which  too  frequently  follows, 
from  Chriftianity  being  prefcnted  to  the  underdand- 
ing  in  this  form,  is,  that  vvhen  any  articles,  which 
appear  as  parts  of  it,  contradict  the  apprehcnfion  of 
the  perfons  to  whom  it  is  propofed,  men  of  rafli  and 
confident  tempers,  hadily  and  indifcriminately  rcjecL 
the  whole.  iUit  is  this  to  do  judice,  either  to  them- 
fclvcs,  or  to  the  religion  ?  The  rational  way  of 
treating  a  fubjeft  of  fuch  acknowledged  impo-tancc 
is  to  attend,  in  the  firH:  place,  10  the  general  and 
fubilantial  truth  of  its  principles,  and  to  that  alone. 
When  we  once  feel  a  foundation,  when  we  once 
perceive  a  ground  of  credibility  in  its  hiflory,  we 
Ihall  proceed  with  faftiy  to  enquire  into  the  inrcr- 
pretation  of  its  records,  and  into  the  doOrinc-;  whicli 
iiave  been  deduced  from  them.  Nor  will  it  either 
endanger  our  faith,  or  diminilh  or  alter  our  motives 
for  obedience,  if  we  fliould  difcover  that  thefe  con- 
clufions  arc  formed  with  diiTcrcnt  degrees  of  im- 
portance. 


A30  A  VIEW  OP  THE 

This  conduft  of  ths  underftanding,  diftated  by 
every  rule  of  right  reafoning,  will  uphold  perfonal 
Chridianir)'-,  even  in  thofe  countries  in  which  it  is" 
eftabliilied  under  forms,  the  mod  liable  to  difficulty 
and  objeftion.  It  will  alfo  have  the  further  effeft  of 
guarding  us  againfl:  the  prejudices  which  are  wont  to 
arife  in  our  minds  to  the  difadvantage  of  religion, 
from  obferving  the  numerous  controverfies  which 
arc  carried  on  amongfl:  its  profeflbrs,  and  likewife  of 
inducing  a  fpint  of  lenity  and  moderation  in  our 
.judgment,  as  well  as  in  our  treatment,  of  ihofe,  who 
fland,  in  fuch  controverfies,  upon  fides  oppofite  to 
ours.  V/hat  is  clear  in  Chriftianity,  we  (hall  find  to 
be  fufficit-nr,  and  to  be  infinitely  valuable  ;  what  is 
dubious,  unnecelTary  to  be  decided,  or  of  very  fub- 
ordinate  importance  ;  and  what  is  mofi:  obfcure,  will 
teach  us  to  bear  u'iih  the  opinions  which  others  may 
have  formed  upon  the  fame  fubjeft.  We  lliall  fay  to 
thofe  who  the  mod  widely  dilTent  from  us,  what  Au- 
guftine  faid  to  the  word  heretics  of  his  age  ;  '  Illi 
'  in  vos  fosviant,  qui  nefciunt.;  cum  quo  labore  verum 
'  inveniatur,  et  quam  difficile  caveantur  errores — 
'  qui  nefciunt,  cum  quanta  difficultate  fanetur  oculus 
*  interioris  hominis — qui  nefciunt,  quibus  fufpiriis  et 
'  gemitibus  fiat,  lit  ex  quantulacunque  parte  poffit 
••  inttlligi  Dens'*.' 

A  judgment,  moreover,  which  is  once  pretty  well 
facisfied  of  the  general  truih  of  the  religion,  will 
not  only  thus  difcriminate  in  its  doftrines,  but  will 
pofTefs  fufficient  ftrength  to  overcome  the  relu6lance 
of  the  imagination  to  admit  articles  of  faith  which 
are  attended  with  difficulty  of  apprehenfion,  if  fuch 
articles  of  faith  appear  to  be  truly  p^rts  of  the  reve- 
lation. It  was  to  be  expected  beforehand,  that  what 
-^elated  to  the  osconoray,  and  to  the  perfons,  of  the 

*  Aug.  Conir.  Ep.  fund.  cap.  2.  n.  2,  3. 

invifible 


EVIDENCES  OE  CHRISTIANITY.  43. 

in vifible  world,  which  rcvcliuion  pr  iftfTc^s  to  do,  and 
which,  if  true,  it  >i*^Lialiy  docs,  fhould  contain  fomc 
points  remote  from  our  analogies,  and  from  the 
comprchenfjon  of  a  mind  which  hath  acquired  all  iis 
ideas  from  fenfc  and  from  experience. 

It  hath  been  my  care,  in  the  preceding  work,  to 
prefcrve  the  feparation  between  evidences  and  doc- 
trines as  inviolable  as  1  could;  to  remove  from  the 
primary  queftion,  all  confideraiions  which  have  been 
unnecefTarily  joined  with  it  ;  and  to  offer  a  defence 
of  Chrirtianity,  which  every  Chriilian  might  read, 
without  feeing  the  tenets  in  which  he  had  been 
brought  up  attacked  or  decried  :  and  it  always  'if- 
forded  a  fatisfaftlon  to  my  mind,  to  obfirve  that  this 
was  pra(51icable  ;  that  fev/  or  ncme  of  oiir  many  con- 
troverfies  with  one  another,  alTt^  vy  relate  to  the 
proofs  of  our  religion  ;  that  the  rt:nt  never  defcends 
to  the  foundation. 

The  truth  of  ChriRianity  depends  upon  its  leading 
faffs,  and  upon  them  alone.  Novv',  of  thefe  we  have 
evidence  whicli  ought  to  fatisfy  us,  at  Icaff,  until  it 
appear  that  mankind  have  ever  been  deceived  by  the 
fame.  We  have  forae  iinconteded  and  inconielfiblc 
points,  to  which  the  hiftory  of  the  human  fpeciea 
hath  nothing  Hmilar  to  offer.  A  jev.ifh  peafan;: 
changed  the  religion  of  the  world,  and  that,  without 
force,  without  power,  without  fupport ;  without  one 
natural  fource  or  circumftance  of  aitraiffion,  influ- 
ence or  fuccefs.  Such  a  thing  hath  not  happened  in 
amy  other  inffance.  The  companions  of  this  perfon, 
after  he  himfclf  had  l)c:en  put  to  death  for  his  attempt, 
alTcrted  liis  fupernatural  character,  founded  upon  hi; 
fupcrnatural  operations  ;  and,  in  tellimony  of  the 
truth  of  their  afTertions,  /.  e.  in  confequcnce  of  their 
own  belief  of  that  truth,  and,  in  order  to  communi- 
cate 'ne  knowledge  of  it  to  others,  voluntarily  en- 
tered upon  lives  of  toil  and  hardfliip,  and,  with  a 

full 


43^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

full   experience  of  their  danger,  committed  them* 
felves  to  the  lad  extremities  of  perfecution.     This 
hath  not  a  parallel.     More  particularly,  a  very  few 
days  after  this  perfon  had  been  publicly  executed, 
and  in  the  very  city  in  vi^hich  he  was  buried,  thefe 
his  companions  declared   with  one  voice,   that  his 
body  was  reftored  to  life ;  that  they  had  feen  him, 
handled  him,  eat  with  him,  converfed  with  him;  and, 
in  purfu'.mce  of  their  perfuafion  of  the  truth  of  what 
they  told,  preached  his  religion,  with  this  ftrangc 
faft  as  the  foundation  of  it,  in  the  face  of  thofe  who 
had  killed  him,  who  were  armed  with  the  power  of 
the  country,  and  neceffarily  and  naturally  difpofed 
to  treat  his  followers  as  they  had  treated  himfelf ; 
and  having  done  this  upon  the  fpot  where  the  event 
took  place,  carried  the  intelligence  of  it  abroad,  in 
defpite  of  difficulties  and  oppofition,  and  where  the 
nature  of  their  errand  gave  them  nothing  to  expe£l 
but  derifion,  infult,  and  outrage.     This  is  without 
example.     Thefe  three  fafts,  I  think,  are  certain, 
and  would  have  been  nearly  fo,  if  the  gofpels  had 
never  been  written.     The  Chriftian  (lory,  as  to  thefe 
points  hath  never  varied.     No  other  hath  been  fet 
up  againfl  it.     Every  letter,  every  difcourfe,  every 
controverfy  amongH:  the  followers  of  the  religion  ; 
every  book  v/ritten  by  them,  from   the  age  of  its 
commencement  to  the  prefent  time,  in  every  part  of 
the  world  in  which  it  hath  been  pro  felled,  and  with 
every  feft  into  which  it  hath  been  divided,  (and  we 
have  letters  and  difcourfes  written  by  contempora- 
ries, by  witnefTes  of  the  tranfa^tion,  by  pcrfons  them- 
ielves  bearing  a    ihare  in   it,    and    other    writings 
following  that  age  in  regular  fucceffion)  concur  in 
reprefenting  thefe  fa£^s  in  this  manner.     A  religion, 
which  now  pofleiTes  the  greatefc  part  of  the  civilized 
Vv^orld,  unqueftionahly  fprang  up  at  Jerufalem  at  this 
^ime.     Some  account  muft  be  given  of  its  origin, 
2  '  fomQ 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  ,,33 

fome  caufe  afTigned  for  its  rife.  All  rhe  accounrs  of 
this  origin,  all  the  explications  of  this  raufc,  whether 
taken  from  the  writings  of  the  early  followers  of  the 
religion,  in  which,  and  in  which  perhaps  alone,  it 
could  be  cxpe<fted  that  ihey  ihould  be  diflincft'.y  un- 
folded, or  from  occallonal  notices  in  other  writings, 
of  that  or  the  adjoining  age,  either  exprefsly  allege 
the  fafts  above  ftaied,  as  the  means  by  which  rhe 
religion  was  fet  up,  or  advert  to  its  commencement 
in  a  manner  which  agrees  with  the  fuppofition  of 
thefe  fafts  being  true,  which  renders  them  probable, 
according  to  the  then  flare  of  the  world,  and  which 
teftifies  their  operation  and  effccls. 

Thefe  propofitions  alone,  lay  a  foundation  for  our 
faith  ;  for  they  prove  the  exiftence  of  a  traKfa<Sl;ion, 
which  cannot,  even  in  its  moft  general  parrs,  be  ac- 
counted for  upon  any  rcafonable  fuppofition,  except 
that  of  the  truth  of  the  miflion.  But  the  particulars, 
the  detail  of  the  miracles  or  miraculous  pretences 
(f«r  fuch  there  neceflarily  mud  have  been)  upon 
which  this  unexampled  tranfiaftion  refted,  and  for 
which  thefe  men  a<Sled  and  fulTered,  as  they  did  aft 
and  fuffer,  it  is  undoubtedly  of  great  importance  to 
us  to  know.  Wc  have  this  detail  from  the  fountain 
head,  from  the  perfons  themfelves  ;  in  account*; 
written  by  eye-wiinelfes  of  the  fcene,  by  contempo- 
raries and  companions  of  thofe  who  were  fo  ;  not  in 
one  book,  but  four,  each  containing  enough  for  the 
verification  of  the  religion,  all  agreeing  in  the  fun- 
damental parts  of  the  hiflory.  We  have  the  authen- 
ticity of  thefe  bo(;ks  cftabliAied  by  more  and  Wronger 
proofs,  than  belong  to  almoll  any  other  ancient  bock 
whatever,  and  by  proofs  which  widely  diftinguilh 
them  from  any  others  claiming  a  fimilar  authority  to 
theirs.  If  there  were  any  good  reafon  for  doubt, 
concerning  the  names  to  which  thefe  books  arti 
afcribed,  (which  there  is  not,  for  they  were  never 

F  f  afcribfr] 


434  A  VIEW  OF  tHE 

afcribed  to  any  other,  and  we  have  evidence,  not 
long  after  their  publication,  of  iheir  bearing  the 
names  which  they  now  bear)  their  antiquity,  of 
which  there  is  no  queftion,  their  reputation  and  au- 
thority amongft  the  early  difciples  of  the  religion,  of 
which  there  is  as  little,  form  a  valid  proof,  that  they 
inuft,  in  the  main  at  lead,  have  agreed  with  what 
the  firfl:  teachers  of  the  religion  delivered. 

When  we  open  thefe  ancient  volumes,  we  difco- 
ver  in  them  marks  of  truth,  whether  we  confider 
each  in  iifelf,  or  collate  them  with  one  another.  The 
writers  certainly  knew  fomething  of  what  they  were 
writing  about,  for  they  manifeft  an  acquaintance 
with  local  circumflances,  with  the  hiflory  and  ufages 
of  the  times,  which  could  only  belong  to  an  inhabi- 
tant of  that  country,  living  in  that  age.  In  every 
narrative,  we  perceive  fmiplicity  and  undefignednefs ; 
the  air  and  the  language  of  reality.  When  we  com- 
pare the  different  narratives  together,  we  find  them 
fo  varying  as  to  repel  all  fufpicion  of  confederacy  ; 
fo  agreeing  under  this  variety,  as  to  fliow  that  the 
accounts  had  one  real  tranfa^ion  for  their  common 
foundation  :  often  attributing  different  actions  and 
difcouifes,  to  the  perfon  whole  hiftory,  or  rather 
memoirs  of  whofc  hiHiory,  they  profcfs  to  relate,  yet 
aftions  and  difcourfes  fo  fimilar,  as  very  much  to 
befpeak  the  fame  charader  ;  which  is  a  coincidence, 
that,  in  fuch  writers  as  they  were,  could  only  be  the 
cor.f- quence  of  their  writing  from  faft,  and  not  from 
imagination. 

Thefc  four  narratives  are  confined  to  the  hiffory 
of  the  {ouncicr  of  the  religion,  and  end  with  bis 
miniitry.  Siuce,  Iiowever,  it  is  certain,  that  the 
affair  went  on,  we  cannot  help  being  anxious  to  know 
ho-zu  it  proceeded.  This  intelligence  hath  come  down 
to  us  in  a  work  purporting  to  be  written  by  a  perfon, 
himfelf  ^.ouneclcd  with  the  bufinefs  during  the  firfi: 

ilagcs 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  435 

ftages  of  its  progrefs,  taking  up  the  (lory  where  the 
former  hiflories  had  left  it,  carrying  on  the  narrative, 
oftentimes  with  great  particiil;»rity,  and  throughout 
with  the  appearance  of  good  fenfe*,  information  and 
candour ;  Aating  all  along  the  origin,  and  the  only- 
probable  origin,    of   eflefts    which    unqueftionably 
were    produced,    together   with   the   natural   con- 
fequences    of  fituations   which    unqueftionahly    did 
exifl ;  and  confirmed^  in  the  fubftance  at  lead  of  the 
account,  by  the  (trongeft  poflible  acceflion  of  tefti- 
mony  which  a  hiflory  can  receive,  original  lett.rsy 
written  by  the  perfon  who  is  the  principal  fubje^l  of 
the  hidory,  written  upon  the  bufmcfs  to  which  the 
hillory  relates,  and  during  the  period,  or  foon  after 
.  the  period,  which  the  hillory  comnrifes.     No  man 
can  fay  that  this  altogether,  is  not  a  body  of  flrong 
hiftorical  evidence. 

When  we  refleft,  that  fome  of  thofe,  from  whom 
the  books  proceeded,  are  related  to  have  themfelves 
wrought  miracles,  to  have  been  the  fubjefl  of  mira- 
cles, or  of  fupernatural  affiftance  in  propagating  the 
religion,  we  may  perhaps  be  led  to  think,  that  more 
credit,  or  a  different  kind  of  credit,  is  due  to  thefe 
accounts,  than  what  can  be  claimed  by  merely  human 
teilimony.  But  this  is  an  argument  which  cannot 
be  addreifed  to  fceptics  or  unbelievers.  A  man  mufl 
be  a  Chriflian,  before  he  can  receive  it.  The  infpi- 
ration  of  the  hiftorical  fcriptures,  and  the  nature, 
degree,  and  extent  of  that  infpiration,  are  queftions 
undoubtedly  of  ferious  difcuflion,  but  they  are  qucf- 


*  See  Peter's  fpeech  upon  curing  the  cripple,  (Adls  iii.  18.) 
the  council  of  the  apolUcs,  (xv.),  P.ial's  difcourfe  at  Athens, 
(xvii  22.),  before  Agrippa,  (x.wi.).  I  notice  thefe  pairaa:es, 
both  as  fraught  witli  good  f^nfc,  anJ  as  free  from  the  fmallell 
iin(5>ure  of  cnthufiafnj. 


V  f 


tionsi 


436  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

tions  amongft  Chriftians  themfelves,  and  not  between 
them  and  others.  The  doftrine  itfelf  is  by  no  means 
neceffary  to  the  belief  of  Chriflianity,  which  muft,  in 
the  firH:  in  (lance  at  leaft,  depend  upon  the  ordinary 
maxims  of  hiilorical  credibility*. 

In  viewing  the  detail  of  miracles  recorded  in  thefe 
books,  we  find  every  fuppofition  negatived,  by  which 
they  can  be  refolved  into  fraud  or  delufion.  They 
were  not  fecret,  nor  momentary,  nor  tentative,  nor 
ambiguous  ;  nor  performed  under  the  fan^lion  of 
authority,  mih  the  fpeiflators  on  their  fide,  or  in 
affirmance  of  tenets  and  pra6lices  already  eftablifhcd. 
We  find  alfo  the  evidence  alleged  for  them,  and 
which  evidence  was  by  great  numbers  received,  dif- 
ferent from  that  upon  which  other  miraculous  ac- 
counts reft.  It  was  contemporary,  it  was  publifhed 
upon  the  fpot,  it  continued ;  it  involved  interefts  and 
quellions,  of  the  greateft  magnitude  ;  it  contradicted 
the  moft  fixed  perfuafions  and  prejudices,  of  the 
perfons  to  whom  it  was  addreffed  ;  it  required  from 
thofe  v/ho  accepted  it,  not  a  fimple  indolent  afTent, 
but  a  change  from  thenceforward,  of  principles  and 
conduct,  a  fubmiflion  to  confequenccs  the  moft  feri- 
ous  and  the  moft  deterring,  to  lofs  and  danger,  to 
infulr,  outrage,  and  perfecution.  How  fuch  a  ftory 
fliould  be  falfe,  or,  if  falfe,  how,  under  fuch  cir- 
cumftances,  it  ihould  make  its  way,  I  think  impof- 
fiblc  to  be  explained :  yet,  fuch  the  Chriftian  ftory 
was,  fuch  were  the  circumftances  under  which  it 
came  forth,  and  in  oppofition  to  fuch  difliculties  did 
it  prevail. 

An  event  fo  connefted  with  the  religion,  and  with 
the  fortunes,  of  the  Jewifli  people,  a'^  one  of  their 
race,  one  born  amongft  them,  eftablilhlng  his  autho- 

"^  See  Powell's  Dlfcourfes.     Difcourfo  xv.  p.  245. 

rity 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITT.  437 

riiy  and  his  law,  throughout  a  great  portion  of  the 
civilized  world,  it  was  perhaps  to  be  expe(fled,  fliould 
be  noticed  in  the  prophetic  writings  of  tliat  nation  ; 
efpccially  when  this  pcrfon,  together  with  his  own 
milhon,  caufed  alfo  to  be  acknowledged,  the  di. 
vine  original  of  their  inftitution,  and  by  thofe  who 
before  had  altogether  reji'fted  it.  Accordingly  wc 
perceive  in  thefe  writings,  various  intimations  con- 
curring in  the  perfon  and  hiilory  of  Jefus,  in  a  man- 
ner, and  in  a  degree,  in  which  paffat^es  taken  from 
thefe  books,  could  not  be  made  to  concur,  in  any 
perfon  arbitrarily  afi'amed,  or  in  any  perfon,  except, 
him,  who  has  been  the  author  of  ijreat  changes  in 
the  affairs  and  opinions  of  mankind.  Of  fome  of 
thefe  prediclions  the  weight  depends  a  good  deal 
upon  the  concurrence.  Others  poffefs  great  fepa- 
rate  ftrc  ngth :  one  in  particular  does  this  in  an  emi- 
nent decree.  It  is  an  entire  defcription,  manifeftly 
dire£led  10  one  chara(5ler  and  to  one  fcene  of  things: 
it  is  extant  in  a  wriring,  or  colle6rion  of  writings, 
declaredly  prophetic ;  and  to  the  circumitances  of 
his  life  and  death,  with  confiderable  precifion,  and 
in  a  way  which  no  diverfity  of  interpretation  hath, 
in  my  opinion,  been  able  to  confound.  That  the 
advent  of  Chrift,  and  the  confeqnences  of  it,  Ihould 
not  have  been  more  diftinfily  revealed  in  the  Jewifh 
facred  books,  is,  I  think,  in  fome  meafure  accounted 
for  by  the  confideration,  that  for  the  Jews  to  have 
forefcen  the  fall  of  their  inftitution,  and  that  it  was 
to  ennerge  at  length  into  a  more  perfcft  and  compre- 
henfive  difpenfation,  would  have  cooled  too  much, 
and  relaxed,  their  zeal  for  it,  and  their  adherence 
TO  it,  upon  which  zeal  and  adherence,  the  prc- 
fcrvation  in  the  world  of  any  remains,  for  many 
ages,  of  religious  truth,  might  in  a  great  meafure 
-depend. 

F  f  3  Of 


438  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

Of  what  a  revelation  difclofes  to  mankind,  one, 
and  only  one,  queftion  can  properly  be  allced,  '  was 

*  it  of  importance  to  mankind  to  know,  or  to  be 

*  belter  alTured  of?'  In  this  queftion,  when  we  turn 
our  thoughts  to  the  great  Chriftian  doftrine  of  the 
refurreftion  of  the  dead,  and  of  a  future  judgment, 
no  doubt  can  be  entertained.  He  who  gives  me 
riches  or  honours  does  nothing ;  he  who  even 
gives  me  health  does  little,  in  comparifon  with  that, 
which  lays  before  me  juffc  grounds  for  expefting  a 
reftoration  to  life,  and  a  day  of  account  and  re- 
tribuiion  :  which  thing  Chrillianity  hath  done  for 
millions. 

Other  articles  of  the  Chridian  faith  are  only  the 
adjuncts  and  circumftances  of  this.  They  are  how- 
ever fuch,  as  appear  worthy  of  the  original  to  which 
we  afcribe  them.  The  morality  of  the  religion, 
w^hether  taken  from  the  precepts  or  the  example  of 
its  founder,  or  from  the  leffons  of  its  primitive  teach- 
ers, derived,  as  it  fhould  feem,  from  what  had  been 
inculcated  by  their  mafter,  is,  in  all  its  parts,  wife 
and  pure  ;  neither  adapted  to  vu'gar  prejudices,  nor 
flattering  popular  notions,  nor  excufmg  eftabiiflied 
praftices,  but  calculated,  in  the  matter  of  its  inftruc- 
tion,  truly  to  pro  note  human  happinefs,  and,  in 
the  form  in  which  it  was  conveyed,  to  produce  im- 
preflion  and  efFe£l ;  a  morality,  which  let  it  have 
proceeded  from  any  perfon  whatever,  would  have 
been  fatisfaftory  evidence  of  his  good  fenfe  and  in- 
tegrity, of  the  foundnefs  of  his  underftanding  and 
the  probity  of  his  defigns ;  a  morality,  in  every 
view  of  it,  much  more  perfeft,  than  could  have 
been  expelled  from  the  natural  circumftances  and 
character  of  the  perfon  who  delivered  it  ;  a  morality, 
in  a  word,  which  is,  and  hath  been,  moft  beneficial 
to  mankind. 

Upon 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  439 

Upon  the  grcateft  therefore  of  all  polTible  occa- 
lions,  and  for  a  purpofe  of  incftinuiblc  value,  it 
pleafcd  the  Deity  to  vouchfiife  a  iiniraLuIous  atteda- 
tiop.  HavinL^  done  this  for  the  inltitiuion,  when 
this  alone  could  fix  its  autiuritv,  or  give  to  it  a  be- 
giniiing,  he  committed  its  future  proc;refs,  to  the 
natural  means  of  human  communication,  and  to  the 
influence  of  thofe  caufes  by  which  human  conJuft 
and  human  alfairs  are  governed.  The  feed  being 
fown,  was  iett  to  vegetate  ;  the  leaven  being  infert- 
ed,  \vas  left  to  ferment;  and  both  accoiding  to  the 
laws  of  nature :  laws,  nevenhelefs,  difr;ofed  and 
controled  by  that  Providence  which  condufts  the 
affairs  of  the  univerle,  rhour^h  by  an  influence  in- 
fcrutahle,  and  generally  undirtingui{h<ible  by  us. 
And  in  this  Chriitianity  is  analogous  to  mod  other 
provifions  for  happinels.  The  provifion  is  made ; 
and  being  made,  is  left  to  -dSt  according  to  laws, 
which  forming  a  part  of  a  more  general  fyftem,  re- 
gulate this  particular  fubje^i,  in  common  with  many 
others. 

Let  the  conftant  recurrence  to  our  obfervation, 
of  contrivance,  defign,  and  wifdom  in  the  works  of 
nature,  once  fix  upon  our  minds  the  belief  of  a 
God,  and  after  that  all  is  cafy.  In  the  councils  of 
a  Being,  poffeffed  of  the  power  and  difpofition, 
which  the  Creator  of  the  univcrfc  mult  polTefs,  it  is 
not  improbable  that  there  fliould  be  a  future  ftate  ; 
it  is  not  improbable  that  we  fliould  be  acquainted 
with  it.  A  future  (late  re^tiiics  every  thing  ;  becaufe 
if  moral  agents  be  made,  in  the  la(l  event,  happy 
or  miferable,  according  to  their  condufl  in  the  ila- 
tion,  and  under  the  circumftanccs  in  which  they  are 
placed,  it  feems  not  very  material  by  the  operation 
of  what  caufes,  according  to  what  rules,  or  even,  if 
you  pleafe  to  call  it  fo,  by  what  chance  or  caprice, 

thcfc 


4AO  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

thefe  ftations  are  afligned,  or  thcfe  circumflances 
determined.  This  hypothefis,  therefore,  folves  all 
that  obje£lion  to  the  divine  care  and  goodnefs,  which 
the  proinifcuous  dillribution  of  good  and  evil  (I  do 
not  mean  in  the  doubtful  advantiiges  of  riches  and 
grandeur,  but  in  the  unqueftionably  important  dif- 
tinftions  of  health  and  ficknefs,  flrength  and  infir- 
mity, bodily  eafe  -and  pain,  mental  alacrity  and  de- 
preiTion)  is  apt  on  fo  many  occafions  to  create.  This 
one  truth  changes  the  nature  of  things  :  gives  order 
to  confufion  :  makes  the  m.oral  world  of  a  piece 
with  the  natural, 

Neverthelefs,  a  higher  degree  of  alTurance,  than 
that  to  which  it  is  poffible  to  advance  this,  or  any 
argament  drawn  from  the  light  of  nature,  was  ne- 
ceilary,  efpecially  to  overcome  the  fhock,  which  the 
i:Tiagination  and  the  fenfes  receive,  from  the  effects 
and  the  appearances  of  death  ;  and  the  obftruflion 
which  from  thence  arifes  to  the  expectation  of  either 
a  continued  or  a  future  exiftence.  This  difficulty, 
although  of  a  nature,  no  doubt,  to  a£l  very  forcibly, 
will  be  found,  I  think,  upon  refle£lion,  to  refide 
more  in  our  habits  of  apprehenficn,  than  in  the  fub- 
jeft ;  and  that  the  giving  way  to  ir,  when  we  have 
any  reafonable  grounds  for  the  contrary,  is  rather 
an  indulging  of  the  imagination,  than  any  thing  clfe. 
Abftractedly  confidercd,  that  is,  confidered  without 
relation  to  the  difference  which  habit,  and  merely 
habit,  produces  in  our  faculties  and  modes  of  appre- 
henfion,  1  do  not  fee  any  thing  more  in  the  refur- 
reiflion  of  a  dead  man,  than  in  the  conception  of  a 
child  ;  except  it  be  this,  that  the  one  comes  into 
his  world  with  a  fyftcm  of  prior  confcioufneiTss  about 
him,  which  the  other  does  not :  and  no  perfon  will 
fay,  that  he  knows  enough  of  either  fubje£l:  to  per- 
ceive, that  this  circumftance  makes  fuch  a  difference 

in 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  44> 

in  the  two  cafes,  that  the  one  fliould  be  cufy,  and 
the  other  impolTible  ;  the  one  natural,  the  other  not 
fo  To  the  firlt  man  the  fucceflion  uf  the  ipecies 
^vouU^  be  as  incomprehenfible,  as  the  rcfurrcaion  of 

the  dead  is  to  us.  . 

Thought  is  dilTerent  from  motion,  perception  trom 
impaa  :  "the  individuality  of  a  mind  is  hardly  confift- 
cnt  with  the  divifibiliiy  of  an  extended  fuhftance  ;  or 
its  volition,  that  is,  its  power  of  origmatmg  motion, 
with  the  im-rtiicfs  which  cleaves  to  every  portion  ot 
matter,  which  our  obfervation  or  our  experiments 
can  reach.     Thefe  diftinftions  lead  us  to  an  immate- 
rial principle  :  at  lead,  they  do  this ;  they  fo  nega- 
tive the  mechanical  properties  of  matter,  in  the  con- 
(litution  of  a  fentienr,  ftill  more  of  a  mtional  being, 
that  no  argument,  drawn  from  thefe  properties,  caw 
be  of  any  great  weight  in  oppofiiion  to  other  rcafons, 
when  the  queftion  rcfpefts  the  changes  of  which 
fiich  a  nature  is  capable,  or  the  manner  in  whic.i 
thefe  changes  are  eifeaed.      Whatever  thought  be, 
or  whatever   it  depend   upon,  the   regular  cxpen- 
cnce  o^  jlcep  makes  one  thing  concerning  it  certain, 
that  it  can  be  completely  fufpended,  and  completely 

rellored.  . 

If  any  one  find  it  too  great  a  dram  upon  his 
thoughts,  to  admit  the  notion  of  u  fu^bftance  f^naiy 
inimalerial,  that  is,  from  which  extenfion  and  foli- 
dity  are  excluded,  he  can  find  no  difficulty  m  al. ow- 
ing that  a  particle  as  fmall  as  a  panicle  of  light,  mi- 
nuter than  all  conceivable  dimenfions,  may  jud  as 
eafily  be  the  depofuary,  the  organ,  and  the  vehicle 
of  confcioufnefs,  as  the  congeries  of  animal  fubltance, 
which  forms  a  human  body,  or  the  hum^n  bram  ; 
tint,  being  f.\  it  may  transfer  a  proper  identity  to 
whatever  'ihall  hereafter  be  united  to  it ;  may  be 
kfe  amidfl  the  deftruaion  of  iis  integum.-:nts ;  may 

con  n  c£: 


44^  A  VIEW  OF  THE 

connect  the  natural  with  the  fpiritiial,  the  corrupli- 
blv-  with  the  glorified  body.  If  it  be  faid,  tba;  the 
mode  and  means  of  all  this  is  imperceptible  by  our 
fenfes,  it  is  only  what  is  true  of  the  raoft  important 
agencies  and  operations.  The  great  powers  of  na- 
ture are  all  invifible.  Gravitation,  eleftricity,  mag- 
netifm,  though  conftantly  prefent,  and  conftantly 
exerting  their  influence  ;  though  within  us,  near  us, 
and  about  us ;  though  diffufed  throughout  all  fpace, 
overfpreading  the  furface,  or  penetrating  the  con- 
texture of  all  bodies  with  which  we  are  acquainted, 
depend  upon  fubftances  and  acfions,  which  arc 
totiilly  concealed  from  our  fenfes.  The  Supreme 
Intelligence  is  fo  himfelf. 

But  whether  thefe,  or  any  other  attempts  to  fa- 
tisfy  the  imagination,  bear  any  refemblance  to  the 
truth,  or  whether  the  imagination,  which,  as  I  have 
faid  before,  is  the  mere  fl:ive  of  habit,  can  be  fatis- 
iied,  or  not;  when  a  future  ftaie,  and  the  revela- 
tion of  a  future  (late,  is  not  only  perfectly  coniiftent 
with  the  attributes  of  the  Beinfj  who  ooverns  the 
univerfe  ;  but  when  it  is  more  ;  when  it  alone  re- 
moves the  appearances  of  contrariety,  which  attend 
the  operations  of  his  will  toward?  creatures  capable 
of  merit  and  demerit,  of  reward  and  puniihment  ; 
when  a  furong  body  of  hiftorical  evidence,  confirmed 
by  many  internal  tokens  of  truth  and  authenticity, 
gives  us  jurt:  reafon  to  believe  that  fuch  a  revelation 
liath  a^fually  been  made  ;  we  ought  to  f:;t  our  minds 
i-.t  reft  with  the  afTurance,  that,  in  the  refources  of 
creative  wifdoni,  expedients  cannot  be  wanted,  to 
carry  into  effect  what  the  Deity  hath  purpofcd  :  that 
either  a  new  and  mighty  influence  will  defend  upon 
the  human  world,  to  refufcitate  extinguiihed  confci- 
oufnefs ;  or  that,  aniidft  the  other  wonderful  contri- 
vances  with  v/hich  the  univerfe  abounds,  and  by 

-  fomc 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  443 

fome  of  which  we  fee  animal  life,  in  many  indanccs, 
afluming  improved  forms  of  exiftence,  acquiring  new 
organs,  new  perceptions,  and  new  fources  of  en- 
joyment, provifion  is  alfo  made,  though  by  methods 
fecret  to  us  (as  all  the  great  procefles  of  nature  are) 
for  conducting  the  obje£ls  of  God's  moral  govern- 
ment, through  the  neceffary  changes  of  their  frame, 
to  rhofe  final  didinftions  of  happinefs  and  mifcry, 
which  he  hath  declared  to  be  rcferved  for  obedi- 
ence and  tninfgrellion,  for  virtue  and  vice,  for  the 
nfe  and  the  negleCl,  the  right  and  the  wrong  em- 
ployment, of  the  faculties  and  opportunities,  wirh 
which  he  hath  been  pleafcd,  feverally  to  entrufl 
and  to  try  us. 


THE     END. 


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